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COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 






LYONS, N. Y. 



-Gnp," lO^Sfng^Av^efs/ra^Le, N. Y ,.I,.,VST..*XED., 



"GRIP'S" 

Historical Souvenir of Lyons, N. Y. 



THE LYONS REPUBLICAN PRINT 
LYONS, N. Y. 






LISRAHYof CONGRESS 
Two Copies Received 

NOV 8 19U4 

Cosyrigiii entry , 

CLASS A XXc, Nui 
/6/ /// 

COPY B. 




EDGAR L. WELCH. ("Grip") 
Desi2;ner and Proprietor of "Grip's" Historical Souvenirs. 



Historical Souvenir Series No* 18* 

Lyons, ^^ Y* ^^^ V^^^^^'^^ 



Copyrighted, Sept. 1904 
'Grip." 109 Corning Ave., Syracuse. N. Y 




Russell, Photo 



WILLIAM STREET, LUUKINCi NORTH FROM CHURCH STREET. 



DESCRIPTION OF LYONS. 



THE VILLAGE OF LYONS, one of the pret- 
tiest in the State, boasts of two important 
industries for which its^supremacy is unques- 
tioned. From this village the whole world has 
received the best oils of the peppermint that the 
market affords. Here, for years past distilleries 
have produced an oil which under the protection 
of trade mark has gained a universal reputation. 

Around Lyons in every direction fruit orchards 
produce yields of peaches and apples that are 
shipped by the carloads. The best of New York 
State fruit comes from Lyons as the shipping- 
point. 

Lyons in population and wealth has steadily 
advanced by slow, healthy and natural process 



all through its .long history. The people of the 
village are progressive, thrifty and prosperous. 
A large portion of the population is from the 
good old German stock which came to this coun- 
try soon after the close of the Revolutionary 
war and settled upon farms or went into trade. 
Most of them had only muscle, brain and pluck, 
with which they were liberally endowed and 
which they knew how to use to the best advan- 
tage ; and many substantial fortunes were built 
which to-day are largely invested in business or 
reality in and about Lyons. 

The location of the village is favorable for a 
much farther expansion of business, being about 
half way between Rochester and Syracuse — 
more than an hour's ride by steam car to either 
city, and consequently with an exclusive trade 
territory, including all of the highly cultivated 



'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



county of Wayne and the northern townships in 
Seneca and Ontario counties. 

Its favorable location— "at the crossing of the 
roads"— some years ago attracted the attention 
of the New York Central Railroad Company with 
the result that a railroad line leading directly 
into the coal fields of Pennsylvania was secured 
by that company, and by new construction work, 
necessary repairs, and new, modern equipments 
the line was raised to the standard of all of the 
Central railroad properties. This Pennsylvania 
division of the New York Central traverses 
nearly the entire north and south extent of the 
state, touching the important villages and cities, 
between Lyons and the Pennsylvania State lines 
as well as those in northern and middle Pennsyl- 
vania, and is tributary to the finest agricultural 



trains of the Central system, and is practically 
as near those cities as Syracuse. 

Lyons has been a chartered village for more 
than half a century. Her streets are clean, well 
macadamed and shaded with luxuriant foliage. 
It is not an idle or vain boast to say that no 
village of its size in this state has as many fine 
residences and lawns as has Lyons. The pride 
displayed in "keeping up" private grounds is not 
confined to those of the more expensive sort. 
Even the modest dwellings are kept freshly 
painted and in good order. 

The society of Lyons is well represented in the 
several groups of those men and women taken 
in photographs for this work, showing the people 
who are the most active in social, fratei'nal and 
church circles. 




Russell, Plioto 



WILT.IAM STREET. LOOKING SOUTH FROM CANAL STREET. 



and fruit sections of the two States. 

At Lyons where this road forms a junction 
with the main line— the great four ti-acks— of 
the New York Central, that company built large 
railroad yards which, from time to time, are 
being increased in size. 

With the enlargement of the Pennsylvania 
division to a double track road, now contemplated, 
and the construction of lateral lines that have 
been promised, Lyons is bound to become an im- 
portant railroad point. To-day, with the excep- 
tion of a very few of the record breaking New 
York and Chicago flyers, all of the fast as well 
as the accommodation trains, stop at Lyons. 

Her railroad facilities are such that the busi- 
ness man has Boston, New York and Philadelphia 
easy and quickly of access on the fastest through 



Lyons is unusually favored with fraternities 
and clubs, all of them prosperous and conducted 
in an able manner. The village is uncommonly 
well provided with churches, including two in 
which every Sunday sermons are preached both 
in English and German, and one where the 
preaching and services are entirely in German. 
Eight flourishing church societies have buildings, 
and with one exception all of them are commo- 
dious and fully meet the requirements of their 
large congregations. The society not so well 
favored has begun to erect a new building. 
Five of the eight buildings are handsome and 
imposing edifices. Two are comfortable and 
meet present requirements of growing societies. 

It is needless to say that in such a church- 
going community the school is of the up-to-date 



"GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



plan, provided with a capable faculty and housed 
in a large, modern building. 

The industrial advantages that Lyons possesses 
offer most favorable opportunities for manufac- 
ture and there is room for more. There is water 
powei', and the dii-ect railroad line to Pennsyl- 
vania affords a ready and easily obtained supply 
of coal for steam purposes. 

The shipping facilities are all that could be 
asked for. The Erie canal passing through the 
village supplies the water rate freights, which 
will be much more advantageous when the barjre 
canal is built, as that is to follow the present 
course of the canal at Lycrs. 

Here there is a business men's association, 
which was form xi for th ^ purpose of bringing 
in new industries, and by communication with 



the steel boot extension works ; the manufacture 
of coal bagging and weighing apparatus, wagons, 
silk gloves, stoneware, slippers and soles, to- 
bacco implements, fanning mills, fruit barrels 
and cigars. 

Lyons has three prosperous and safe banking 
institutions — National, State and private. 

There are also three weekly newspapers, con- 
ducted intelligently, ably edited and widely cir- 
culated. 

The social status ol Lyons is on a plane with 
the best of communities. The ladies of the vil- 
lage— ;hose of social standing— are active in 
their efforts to make Lyons a desirable place 
of residence. Some of them are organized 
as a Civic club, the main object of which is to 
promote local village improvement, beautifying 




Ku!-sell. Plioto 



BROAD STREET, LOOKINCt SOUTH FROM THE PARK. 



which the most favorable terms may be obtained 
by manufacturers looking for a site. The secre- 
tary, to whom inquiries should be addressed, is 
Mr. C. W. Knapp, and letters should state that 
they were inspired by tLis publicaticn. 

The industries of Lyons are varied, and all of 
the manufacturers are prosperous. Besides the 
peppermint oil distilleries, the silver works and 
the beet sugar factory, there is one of three 
institutions in this country which manufacture 
mail pouches for the government. One of the 
newest industries is the Lyons cut glass works, 
which is growing steadily. 

Then there are the big malt houses, three or 
four in number ; the Lyons burial vault works ; 
the manufacture of ledgers and moth proof 
pouches ; the metal bound fruit crate factory ; 



the streets and squares, and especially elevate 
the tone of the community. As this work is 
being compiled these ladies have won their first 
important victory. They have secured final action 
on the part of Board of Education by which a 
department of manual training and sewing with 
regularly employed teachers has been ordered 
for the public school. For some time past the 
Civic club employed a teacher in sewing at its 
own expense. It is understood that Lyons is the 
first village in the State to include manual train- 
ing and sewing with its regular cirriculum of 
studies. 

The Civic club also gives intellectual treats to 
the community by bringing hither lecturers and 
other forms of literary entertainments. The 
club has secured the platting of public squares 



"GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



and has placed throughout the village receptacles 
for watte paper and rubbish. 

To encourage the beautifying of homes it 
offers prizes to the ladies of the village for the 
best flowei's cultivated, furnishing seeds for the 
purpose an i giving an annual exhibit. 

Lyons; The First White Settlers ; Experiences 

of the Pioneers and How They Got Here ; 

Graphic Pictures of Earl, Times in Lyons :- 

On tie north bank of Clyde river just below 

the jurclion of the outlet to Canandaigua lake 

flowing in from the south and the Ganargua, or 

Mud, river coming from the west, one bright 

morning in May, 1789, twelve persons debaik.d 

from 1 atteaux or flat boats and proceeded to 

clear a i_ lace under the tall trets that swung 



once more against the current. 

Poling up Seneca river, they tvu-ned their craft 
into Clyde river. At that point they were out of 
their reckoning, for had they kept upon the other 
stream they would have reached the country 
which was to have been their destination— the 
country of the Seneca Indians. 

Ten years earlier one of the party, William 
Stansell, had marched and fought under Gen. 
Sullivan in his expedition into Western New 
York against the S.-neccS. The party had trav- 
ersed the beautiiul forests i.nd meadows which 
tu-day are inc'.ud d in the counties of Genesee, 
Ontario and Seneca, and like hundreds of his fel- 
low campaigners, to whom that immense un- 
deeded stretch of splendid country had been a 
revelation as to what the pioneer had only to 
reach after in order to acquire, Stansell had de- 
termined on the first opportunity to take his 
family hither, and his neighbc rs with them, and 
pre-empt for themselves homes. 




KusscU, Photo 



WATEK STREET. LOOKING WEST FROM WILLIAM STREET. 



their branches above the water, for shelter. 
They comprised three families who, after a 
week's arduous journey p )ling their cumbersome 
craft through narrow and shallow waters— always 
against the cui'rent- or steei'ing a course by 
means of improvis.^d sail, here and there over a 
large body of water, had finally reached a chosen 
spot for their new nome in the midst of the 
"Western Wilderness." They had come from 
Albany piloted by a Mohawk river boatman, 
Wemple by name. On the headwaters of the 
Mohawk river— near the present city of Rome, 
N. Y. —they had placed their boats on roughly 
built carriages for transportation to Wood creek", 
the distance of a half mile. 

Floating down that narrow stream they 
emerged from the curtain of dense foliage under 
which they had passed and continued the journey 
down the boisterous Oneida lake. Next thej^ 
entered Oneida river and a few miles west, at 
Three Rivers, turned the stem of their boats 



At the junction of the Clyde and Seneca rivers 
Stansell's party took the wrong stream, but upo" 
reaching the next "forks" they were satisfied 
with their bargain. Acres upon acres to the 
south of meadow and woodland, and magnificent 
groves with bright openings of land easily to be 
tilled, on the north, greeted their vision. This 
was the site of the present village of Lyons. 

The party consisted of three men, three women 
and five children besides Wemple, whose boats 
had brought them and their worldly possessions 
hither. They were William and Nicholas Stan- 
sell, brothers, their brother-in-law, John Feth- 
erly, their three wives and children. 

They had poled their boats most of the way 
for over 200 miles, having the current with them 
only from the "draw" into Wood creek to Three 
Rivers. But they had chosen the least of two 
evils. By land they could have reached their 
journey's" end only over trails and bridle paths, 
or imperfectly broken roads. 



'GRITS" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



Such is the narrative of the arrival of the first 
white people to settle on what is now the site of 
the village of Lyons— the very first settlers in 
the county of Wayne. 

Erecting a log house — a home in common for 
the first year— they spent the ensuing summer 
in preparing for permanent occupancy. For 
years after the exact site where they stepped 
ashore was marked by a large tree, which within 
the last few decades has been known as the 
"council tree. " 

One of those Indian villages common to the 
Seneca Indians, which were so frequently moved 
about as the population found it to their advan- 
tage in seeking game, fish and the berries in the 
woods, appeared at the Stansell's plantation in 
the course of the summer and raised their wig- 
wams on the flat south of the river. The whites 
and the i-eds got together for a confab and Stan- 
sell knew how, fi'om his expei-ience in the Sen- 
eca expedition, to make peace with his neighbors. 



Smith, but he was living on what he could get 
out of the Indians and what game he could kill. 

So the Stansells found themselves veritable 
"Robinson Crusoes, " dependant upon their own 
resources, with what the earth might yield from 
the seeds they had brought with them. 

Bear's mill at Skoiyase. (Waterloo) where the 
settlers at Lyons afterwards got their grist 
ground, was not put up until three years later, 
1792. 

But the Stansells had some supplies and a few 
things for trading with the Indians, while deer 
and pigeons were numerous, easily to be shot 
along the river from which fish also could be ob- 
tained in abundance. 

A few months later another small fleet of 
scows ari'ived bringing three more families, the 
Deckers, the Robinsons and the Oaks. There 
was room for all and they were received with a 
gracious welcome. 

The next year five log dwellings went up south 




Russell. Photo 



CANAL ST., NORTH SIDE. LOOKING EAST FROM WILLIAM ST. 



Under the "council tree" they had the talk. 

At that time the nearest place at which grain 
could be ground, or obtained, was many miles to 
the east and so the Senecas, who had grain of 
their own, in small quantities, were induced to 
help out the Stansells. An old trail led off to 
the southeast striking the foot of Cayuga lake 
where a few frontiersmen had at long distances 
apart set up their rude cabins. Among the num- 
ber was old man James Bennett's, on the west 
shore of that lake nearly opposite the present 
village of Seneca Falls. He had arrived about 
the same time as the Stansells, thirty miles north, 
and neither knew of the other. But his was not 
a place to obtain supplies for he had come to 
trade with the Indians ; and to accommodate the 
trickling in of travel, which had just begun from 
the east by the way of the salt springs at Onon- 
daga. Bennett had constructed a flatboat and 
started a ferry over the lake. Up at the falls 
(Seneca) one white man had put up a cabin— Job 



of the river— merely squatter sovereignty — and 
the nucleus of a big village was there. 

For a long time, however, this small colony 
lived remote from civilization. The third sum- 
mer the Indians brought them the first word 
they had received from the outside world. A 
Dutchman, they said, had come up from the 
south — this was in 1791— and built a cabin at 
Fish Wiers. It was the appearance of Samuel 
Bear, the Pennsylvanian, en the Seneca river 
twenty miles south, where the Senecas and 
Cayugas had wiers set in the shallows for their 
winter supply of fish. This was good news be- 
cause the little colony were informed that Bear 
was staking ofi" ground for a mill. And so be- 
tween harvest and planting the people at "The 
Forks," as the new settlement was then desig- 
nated, began to cut through the woods a path 
wide enough to enable them to go over to the 
Wiers. And the following summer, 1792, they 
began taking grist to Bear's. 



"GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



The next four years was a season of peace 
at "The Forks," where time was divided between 
clearing, planting, hoeing and cutting, and jour- 
neyings on foot or horseback to the south. 

But in 1796, seven years after the Stansells 
had made the first white man's track at "The 
Forks," a new factor appeared. He was Mr. 
Charles Williamson, the manager or director of 
the Pultney land interests. He came with a 
legal notice which all people must respect, that 
all of this magnificent country belonged to a sin- 
gle landed gentleman. How the matter was 
patched up between the pioneers and Williamson 
does not appear. As he very much needed the 
good will of the earliest comers at that time, it 
is probable that it was satisfactorily adjusted. 
But it is nevertheless the fact that thirty years 
later the occupants of land for miles around 
Lyons arose in wrath and decided that the claims 



ference— under the same council tree— and set- 
tied matters with them. 

The advent of Judge Daniel Dorsey, however, 
the following year, 1797, was the occasion for 
renewed life in the little colony. He came from 
Maryland with his family and forty slaves and 
bought the flats and woods on the south side of 
the I'iver. The rigors of the noi'thern country 
made the use of slaves impracticable and so he 
went into trade in the new settlement. Judge 
Dorsey was really the commanding figure at 
Lyons. The viila'.4e had been named (as appears 
in "Lyons, Why So Named") and Judge Dorsey 
gave it character for trade. His home was a 
great centre of hospitality. The Indian village 
was usually pitched near by and Dorsey so treated 
the Indians that he had great influence with 
them. His death occurred in 1823. 

The same year Dorsey arrived Rev. John Cole, 




Rus.vcll, Photo 



CANAL STREET, SOUTH SIDP:. L(l<>KIN(i I'.AST FROM WILLIAM ST. 



of the Pultneys were un-American and unten- 
able. 

Charles Williamson's party included one named 
Cameron whom he was to leave for directing the 
new settlement and to act as the resident agent. 

A site on the north shore of the river— a vacant 
canal grocery close to lock .55 now occupies it — 
v/as selected for a warehouse which was built. 

The building is still intact, standing nearly a 
mile from where it was built, on Jackson street. 
That was the beginning of Lyons as a place of 
business. A saw mill, grist mill and blacksmith 
shop v/ere also put up at the same time. The 
saw mill was put up by John Perrine. There 
was also a "landing" on the river. In the mean- 
time Williamson, like all other of the agents of 
large American patentees of those days, had to 
deal with the Indians, and after he had got Cam- 
eron busy with building plans, and before starting- 
back east, he got the roving red men into a con- 



a Methodist preacher, located on the farm which 
is still occupied by his descendants, a half mile 
east of the village. The ensuing few years new 
families came in, George Carr, Samuel King, 
Jacob Leach, William Paton and Daniel B. West- 
field. 

The growth of Lyons from that time on is de- 
scribed and pictured more fully in the succeeding 
pages of this work. 

Lyons; The Village Surveys; Earliest Settle- 
ment :- 

Charles Williamson, the general agent for the 
Pultney estates, which oi-iginally comprised the 
site of Lyons, in 1796, caused a survey for the 
village and laid out the streets with acre lots, 
reserving a thousand acres about the site he had 
chosen for the village. Under his direction 
Cameron, his local .agent, erected a warehouse. 



'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



distillery, a residence and a barn. The streets 
which WilHamson laid out were Broad. William 
and Butternut, Water, Pearl, Church and Queen. 
They were opened along surveyed lines, but not 
improved except to cut down the trees that stood 
most in the way. 

East of William street— including all of that 
part of the present village — was the farm which 
John Riggs bought of the Pultneys. His farm 
house stood nearly on the site of the present 
Sturges Block. The first few years that settlers 
came in he gave them tavern accommodation-. 
This house was formally converted into a tavern 
and enlarged. 

It was not until the Joppa Land Company 
(described elsewhere) surveyed and opened up 
to settlement the Riggs farm that the village 
extended east of William street. 

The earliest places of business were small, 
.single story structures. Richard Jones had his 



four corners at the junction of Broad and Water 
streets. On Water east of Broad street was the 
cooper shop and residence of David Gibson. A 
small cabin occupied the southwest corner of 
Leach and Water streets. On the north bank of 
the river at the foot of Broad street stood the 
Pultney warehouse (now the "Old Glover 
House" in use as a cabinet shop; see "Glover 
House" on another page.) 

Maj. Ezekiel Price occupied a log house with 
a frame lean-to on the northwest comer of Broad 
and Water streets. It was a tavern, store and 
the postoffice. 

Dr. William Ambler lived in a log house on 
the present site of the Hotel Baltzell. 

What is now the public park, thickly shaded 
by large trees, was then an open common. On 
the south side of it— near the present police sta- 
tion—stood the log residence of Richard Jones, 
the saddler. On the west end of the common. 




Russell, Photo 



CANAL STREET, LOOKING WEST FROM GENEVA STREET. 



saddler's shop on Broad street and near him 
lived George Carr. 

Daniel Dorsey brought along goods for barter 
and taking up the tract of land south of the 
river built him a residence where he entertained 
hospitably. He also opened a store. 

In 1808 Lyons had two taverns and a store, a 
tailor, saddler, shoemaker and blacksmith. Ten 
Methodists worshipped at Judge Dorsey's house 
and the Presbyterians at John Perrine's. To 
the north of Queen street was comparatively 
open country dotted with thin groves of trees 
and small patches of cultivated ground. To the 
east along the river, and on both sides of it, were 
a heavy growth of timber and patches of morass, 
flanked to the north by Riggs' cultivated acres. 
The present course of Canal street is through 
his meadows and pastures. The three or four 
business places were on Broad street and the 



just back of the Lutheran church site, a shoe- 
maker named Bond had his residence and shop. 
Joseph Hathaway had a tavern on Broad street 
north of the common. 

About that time the Methodists put up a log 
church on the east side of Broad street— about 
on the present site of Dr. Sheldon's residence, 
and opened ground for a cemetery which finally 
became thickly occupied with graves. 

Just north of it was Mummy's log house and 
around the corner on Queen street— close to the 
west end of the present Methodist church— stood 
a log schoolhouse. 

In 1811 Judge Evert Van Wickle made a sur- 
vey of the village and plotted it with new build- 
ing lots. 



10 



"GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 




Russell, Plioto. 
"THE FLATIRON," JUNCTION 



WILLIAM, BROAD AND BEAR STREETS 



Wayne County; Its Erection: the Petition 
first Started at Lyons; theSignei's; the Coun- 
ty Buildings: — 

The earliest local movement to set off from 
Ontario a new county, which resulted in the 
erection of Wayne county, was the circulation 
of a petition in the village and town of Lyons 
known as the "Lyons petition. " It was dated 
Nov. 15, 1822, addressed to the Legislature, and 
asked that the new county should be composed 
of the towns of Lyons, Sodus, Williamson, On- 
tario, Palmyra and a part of the town of Phelps, 
in Ontario county, and Wolcott and Galen in Sen- 
eca county. The original signers were Orren 
Aldrich, Joseph Luce, John 
Sihhilts, WilHam Patrick, 
Ezekiel Price, Daniel Dor- 
sey, Joseph Cole, Ananias 
Wells, Abraham Knapp, 
David Cr eager, Daniel 
Dunn, Abraham Romyen. 
Josiah Upson, Oliver Whit- 
more, Lambert Woodruff, 
Lyman Mudge, Andrew 
Chapin, Elisha Benjamin, 
Gabriel Rogers, Jenks Tul- 
len, Enoch Turner, Henry 
Towar and Levi Geer. 

The petition was pre- 
sented to the Legislature 
on Jan. 8, 1823, and reported 
favorably Feb. 3. The bill 
for the erection of the coun- 
ty of Wayne was passed 
A{)ril 11, and included the 
towns named in the Lyons 
petition as comprising the 
county of Wayne. 

The" bill named as com- 
missioners for determining 
the site for the county Russell. Photo, 
seat WiUiam D. Foi-d broad ST. 



of Jefferson county, Samuel 
Strong of Tioga county and 
Oliver P. Ashley of Greene 
county. Court was to be 
held, until the county seat 
was fixed, in the "Presby- 
terian meeting house in 
Lyons. " 

The part of Phelps in- 
cluded in the new county 
was annexed to the town 
of Lyons. 

Nathaniel Kellogg of 
Sodus, William Patrick of 
Lyons and Simeon Griswold 
of Galen, were named com- 
missioners to build the coui't 
house and jail. 

The supervisors of the new 
county were directed to 
meet at the house of Henry 
L. Woollsey on the first 
Tuesday in October to levy 
an assessment for collecting $2,500 towards 
building a court house and jail, the same amount 
to be levied at their next annual meeting. 

The commissioners appointed to fix the site of 
the county buildings arrived in Lyons June 11, 
1823. After looking over several parts of the new 
county they fixed upon "the east side of the 
public square" in Lyons as the site for the build- 
ings, which were in fact put up in the centre of 
the square. 

Lyons in 1822 ; The Village was Reached by 
Stage and Packet ; Lyons Newspaper Describes 
the Facilities of Pioneer Times and How the 
Turnpike was Put Through : Also the Mills 
Near Lyons : — 




LOOKING SOUTH FROM QUEEN ST. 



'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



11 




Russfll, Photo. 
PHELPS STREET LAWNS ON THE WEST SIDE, LOOKING 
camp's RESIDENCE. 

Aside from the very clear descriptions we have 
been able to compile in this work relating to 
Lyons as a mere frontier hamlet, the best and 
most striking picture of the situation of the vil- 
lage at a later period— at the time when the canal 
was in progress of constri^ction and had been 
opened only as far west as Pittsford— is found 
in a newspaper sketch published in the i^yoiis 
Advertiser May 31, 1822. 

It reads as follows: "The village of Lyons is 
situated in the county of Ontario, 24 miles noi'th- 
east from Canandaigua, 16 miles north from 
Geneva, 15 miles east from Palmyra and 38 miles 
east from Rochester; at the confluence of Mud 
creek and the outlet of Canandaigua, whose 
waters east of there are denominated the Clyde 
I'iver. 

"On Canandaigua outlet 
one-half mile south of the 
city are a saw mill and a 
grist mill and one mile above 
is a carding machine. Two 
and a half miles above are 
a flour mill, grist mill and 
a saw mill. On Mud creek 
two miles above is a saw 
mill." 

After describing the top- 
ography about Lyons and 
referring to the canal, 
which itdeclares is a "grand 
work," the Advertiser of 
May 31, 1822, very interest- 
ingly describes what con- 
veniences thei'e are for get- 
ting to Lyons. It says: — 

"Upon its [canal] margin 
are extensive basins and 
commodious warehouses. 
The public highways lead- 
ing from the village south 
and west are uncommonly 
good, and within a year a 
turnpike extending east and 

Riissell, Pli<it< 



west from near Elbridge, on 
the north of the Seneca 
turnpike, through the vil- 
lages of Weeds Basin 
[Weedsport], Mentz, Mont- 
ezuma, Clyde and this place 
to Palmyra is expected to 
be completed. The most 
difficult parts are now fin- 
ished and in profitable oper- 
ation." 

How the Montezuma 
marshes were crossed is 
described as follows: "By 
the exertions of the Cayuga 
Manufacturing Co. an ex- 
cellent bridge is erected, 
more than 60 rods long, 
across the Seneca river and 
two others at diflferent 
places across the Clyde 
upon this new turnpike ; and 
though it would have baf- 
fled and repelled any enter- 
prise short of that which is 
exhibited by a few gifted 
individuals of our country, 
these bridges have been 
connected together by a 
good road constructed 
across three miles of soft bog, which in all for- 
mer time since it was known has been deemed 
imp stable." 

How distance and time— in the old stage coach 
days— were baflfled is told thus: "This turnpike 
will run near the canal, occasionally crossing it, 
and make the distance from Utica to Rochester 
fifteen miles shorter than thfi route usually trav- 
elled." 

The growth of Lyons, in its pioneer days, is 
boasted of as follows: "Ten years ago [1812] 
the village of Lyons contained 60 families out of 
which, as they testify, there has been on the 
average but one death in two years since that 
period. Finally with 500 population [Lyons had 



NORTH FROM MRS- 




PHELPS STREET LOOKING NORTH FROM LAWRENCE STREET. 



12 



"GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 




RllSKfll. Plioto. 



POLICE MAGISTRATE AND DEPARTMENT. 

Clyde W. Knapp. Police .lusstice. 

Stephen Swart/,. Thomas Burke, Cxeorge Mar/.olf. 



evidently gained 200 in ten years — Compiler] 
Lyons would be dull if not awake to its advan- 
tages. ' ' 



The 
:anal, 



celebration 
its entire 



The stage coach and pack- 
et facilities aroused a note 
of pride in those early back- 
woods years. The Adver- 
tiser says : "From the west 
[Montezuma] end of the 
middle section of the canal 
there is a post coach plying 
every day over a good road, 
five miles in length, to the 
river Clyde, where a hand- 
some barge, large enough 
for twelve passengers, is 
always found to continue 
the route to the village of 
Clyde, at which place a 
canal packet arrives every 
day to carry passengers as 
far west as Pitisford, with- 
in ten miles of Rochester." 

That year, 1822, accord- 
ing to a notice in the Adver- 
tiser, the Fourth of July 
was celebrated in Lyons by 
"a gun at daybreak ; a 
national salute at sunrise; 
a gun at 10 o'clock giving 
the signal for the parade ; 
the procession to start from 
Camp's Hotel and go down 
Broad street to the public 
square, across on to William 
street, down William street 
to Water, to the gi'ove in 
the rear of the Presbyterian 
church." 

Gov. Clinton in Lyons : Exec- 
utive Party Feted on the 
Occasion of the Opening 
of the Canal; Toasts and 
Responses ; Grand Cele- 
bration :— 
of the opening of the Erie 
length — "the meeting of the 



waters" — was patriotically participated in by 




Rus^ci;, Phot. 



THE VILLAGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES. 



First Row. lett to rit;ht. A. M. Christman, trii.stee; Edward Sautter. President ; W. H. Akeuhead, 
trustee. Second Row. Elmer Wolvin, E. J. Klippel, trustees; Louis Mierke, clerk: Albert Sheldon, 
tiustee; .Teft'erson W Hos^:. villaRe attorney. 



"GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



13 



the village of 
Lyons, which 
from having 
a poplulation 
of 4uu when 
canal naviga- 
tion was first 
opened as far 
as this village 
had become a 
village of over 
900 before the 
canal was 
completed a 
year later. 

The event 
occurred Oct. 
26, 1825, at 
the time the 
two ends of 
the canal were 
qnited at 
Lockport, and 
the^ "waters 
were"4^t over 
the mountarn 
ridge. ' ' 

The unique 
feature of the 
celebration 
throughout 
the state was 
the transmis- 
sion of the ex- 
act time by 
the firing of 
cannon — 24 
and 32 pound- 
ers— distribu- 
ted along the 
canal eight 
miles apart, a 
total distance 
of 365 miles 
from Lake 
Erie to the 
Hudson river. 




Riiss.^11. P 



OFFICERS OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. 



Lnther S. Lake, Secretary. James P. Boyle. Treasurer. 

W. H. Akenhead, .Jerry Dineen. Wm. Marshall, 

ls,t Asst. Chief. Chief. 2cl Asst. Chief. 



In the Lyons papers of the preceding week 
appeared the report of a meeting of the inhabi- 
tants at T. Hawley's on Oct. 17 for the purpose 
of making arrangen>ents to join in the celebra- 
tion. The committee appointed consisted of 
Jacob Leach, Capt. H. Towar, M. Barney, H. 
T. Day, A. L. Beaumont, G. H. Chapin, W. H. 
Adams, F. White and R. H. Foster. 

These gentlemen invited adjacent towns to 
jom in the celebration and sub-committees were 
appointed from Aix-adia, Sodus, Wolcott, Galen, 
Savannah and Phelps. 

The celebration was carried out with great en- 
thusiasm, Lyons being made the pxincipal point 
for the exercises of the day on this section of 
the canal. The 32 pounder, one of the cannon 
in the chain across the state, was stationed on 
"an eminence west of the village overlooking 
the canal." At sunrise a salute of eight guns 
was fired from this piece. After the gun had 
passed along this "grand salute from the east," 
a procession was formed which marched through 
the principal streets of the village to the "new 
brick meeting house" where the exercises of the 
day were performed consisting of prayer, psalm 
singing and oration by G. H. Chapin. 



The proces- 
sion then 
marched to 
the public 
square where 

" a ft' It lie joif 

was fired by 
Capt. White's 
company and 
a national sa- 
lute by the 
artillery.' ' 
Then in pro- 
cession mar- 
ched to the 
hotel (the 
Joppa House, 
afterwards 
the Landon 
and Graham) 
where a din- 
ner was serv- 
ed for the oc- 
casion in Mr. 
Judson's usu- 
al excellent 
style" and 
several toasts 
were offered. 
Major A. 
tJaiiister of 
Phelps was 
Marshal of 
the day. Cap- 
tain H. Towar 
officiated at 
the dinner. 

On the 28th 
Gov. Clinton 
and suite ar- 
rived at the 
lock at the 
foot of Broad 
street greeted 
by a fire of 
artillery. 
Ihey were met by committees from Geneva and 
Lyons and escorted under a triumphal arch to 
the Joppa House, where dinner was served and 
toasts exchanged. Dr. A. L. Beaumont and R. 
H. Foster met the party west of the village and 
extended the invitation to the dinner. At half- 
past four o'clock the party proceeded east. 
The toasts and the responses were : 
Gov. Clinton- "The Eagle of the East and the 
Scion of the West." 

James Rees— "The Memory of the Revolution- 
ary Patriots." 

Lt. Gov. Tallmadge— "The Pioneers of the 
West." 
Wm. H. Adams- "The Tow Rope." 
Dr. A. L. Beaumont— "Our Absent Friend 
Myron Holly, Esq," ' 

G. H. Chapin— "Geneva College." 
Elisha B. Strong of Rochester— "The Village 
of Lyons, May its Prosperity equal the courteous 
hospitality of its citizens." 

Passengers by Canal. I822:-The earliest means of 
travel between Lyons and the eastern part of 
the state to succeed passage over miserable 
roads, is described (July 19, 1822) as follows; 
the Erie canal then being in process of construc- 
tion between Schenectady and Little Falls, Mon- 
tezuma and Clyde and Heartswell Basin and 



14 



'GRIPS" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



Lockport;— "Passengers leaving Utica at 8 
o'clock P. M. reach Weed's Basin (Weedsport) 
87 miles [by boat] the next morning at 7 o'clock, 
traveling all night. The charge is only 4 cents 
a mile, which includes board and lodging." 
Boats on that date were then running 160 miles 
(on the completed portions of the canal), viz. : — 
From Little Falls to Utica 22 miles, from Utica 
to Montezuma 96 miles, crossing by coach 
from Montezuma over the Seneca river and the 
Cayuga marshes 6 miles, then up the Clyde to 
Block house (Clyde) 12 miles, then on the Can- 
al to Lyons. The passage (passenger) boats 
were drawn by three horses, tandem rigged, and 
traveled from three to four miles an hour. 

First Canal Packet. — The first Passenger 
Packet on the canal "of any magnitude" mad? 



Aldrich, Oren 1817-'19; Ashley, Robert W 
1820-'24, '27-'.30; Allen, Oliver 1825-'6: Adams, 
John 1839-'40, '57. 

Brown, John 1812-'13; Bartle, James P 1824; 
Burnett, A E 1889, '91- '3. 

Cramer, Geo W 1878-'9; Collins, T W 1899- 
1900; Curtiss. John A 1901-'3; Dillenbeck. M H 
1883-'5; Foster, Cullen 1843, '59. 

Howell, Gilbert 1811: Hyde, Henry 1814; Hol- 
Iv, John M 1834-'7; Harrington, Thompson 
1844-'5; Hotchkiss, Leman 1881-'2; Hubbard, R 
A 1886- '8. 

Jewell, Ezra 1816; Johnson, Ely 1832-'3; Koes- 
ter, G W 1894- '8. 

Lyman, Abel 1831; Layton, John 1846-'9- 
Leach, Miles S 1856, '62-' 8. 

Mirick, Nelson R 1869-'74; Mirick. Wm P 
1890. 




B.-i-ns. Plioto. 



INDEPENDENT HOSE COMPANY, NO. 1. 



Ijower Row, left to right — Philip Borck, treasurer, Charles Shuler, John Vosteeii, forenian, Wm. 
Pnlver, 1st assistant foreiuhn. Charles Matthes, Second Row— Walter Holstead. Darwin Palmeter, 
Anu'iistus Mattlies. John Starr, Charles Noble, Cxeorge Tillotson. Third Row— John Bornheimer, Leonard 
Buell, Henry Ijeiult, Wm. Miller, Ueore Seiprist. Claude Compson, Fourth Row — Clarence Schlee. Liv- 
ingston Woo(ll» ck, steward. Edward Medberry. 



its initial trip from Palmyra and return Nov. 22, 
1821. It was the "Myron Holly." It was 80 
feet long, 13 K, feet wide and drew 10 inches of 
water when loaded. It had "a capacity" for 
one hundred passengers and cost $2,000. This 
was the first packet to pass through the Monte- 
zuma marshes, July 30, 1822. The water was 
let in from Clyde the day before, connecting the 
canal between Clyde and Montezuma, where 
coaches had previously been used, and where the 
marshes had prevented earlier completion of the 
canal. 

Supervisors of Town of Lyons and Years of 
Service [dash indicates inclusive dates] : — 



Price, Ezekiel 1815: Peck, Nelson 1838; Par- 
shall, DeWitt 1855. 

Reagan, John 1841; Remsen, Aaron 1842, '51; 
Rogers, James 1852; Rogers, Bartlett R 1854, 
'60-'61, '80; Rice, Caleb 1858. 

Sanford W W 1853; Sisson.^W. G. 1904. Van 
Marter, Wm 1875-'7. 

Lyons; Its Early Needs.— On July 19, 1822, a 
writer in the Lyons paper wrote of the village 
in which he declared that the recent opening of 
the canal had given an " unwonted spring to en- 
enterprise." 

"Since last fall," he wrote, "three new stores 
have been opened here. * * We actually need 
more men to carry on the following: — wagon and 



'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



15 



sleig'h making', saddle and harness making, the 
manufacture of sheet iron and tin articles and 
boat building. It is a good position for distilling 
and brewing'; and although there is some leather 
made here an intelligent shoemaker told me that 
$2,000 in cash went out of this village in one 
year for this single article." 

Recollections; Early Times in Lyons; Princely 
Hospitality of Old Families; Entertainments 
at Hotchkiss House; Judge Dorsey's Slaves; 
Scenes on the Arrival of Packet and Line 
Boats: — 

Mrs. DeWitt Parshall, discussing her earliest 
recollections of Lyons, incidentally and not con- 
nectedly, recalled among the old families of her 
time Ambrose Spencer, who lived in the present 



"In the old-fashioned brick house opposite the 
Episcopal church resided John Adams, an old and 
prominent merchant of Lyons. The late Judge 
Adams of Canandaigua, who was on the Supreme 
Court bench, was his son. 

"My father, Samuel Hecox, built the Hotch- 
kiss mansion, one of the most beautiful placfes 
in the county. I was brought up there. My 
father moved to Buffalo and a few years prior 
to his death returned to Lyons. It was in the 
Hotchkiss house that much hospitality was dis- 
pensed in years gone by. It was there that 
Martin VanBuren was entertained by my pa- 
rents, as well as other notables who in earlier 
and later years were treated with the princely 
hospitality for which the real old families of Ly- 
ons, in those times, were noted. 




Russell. Photo. 



STEAMER HOSE COMPANY NO. 2. 



Lower Row, left to right— Fred Boeheim, Elmer Wolvin. Win. Akenhead, Charles Sloan, foreman, 
Charles Croitl, Clarence Vosteen. Richard Erhardt Second Row— John Moran, Clarence Mindel, Edward 
G-raff, Dr. Tillottson. James Paton, George Coon. Third Row— John Rodenbaeh. Edward Wells, Philip 
Graff. Edward Buell, Fred.Creager. 



Zimmerlin house, which, was occupied before 
Spencer's time bj' Gen. Adams, who afterwards 
moved back into the house and was hving there 
when he died. 

"Myron Holly, a gentleman of elegance and 
leisure as I remember him," said Mrs. Parshall, 
"was a resident of the house now occupied by 
Dwight S. Chamberlain. The next house was 
the home of Graham H. Chapin, in the forties 
a lawyer, who married a daughter of Myron Hol- 
ly and who moved to Rochester where he died 
after a brief and distinguished career. After he 
moved away the house was occupied by a Mr. 
Kingman, who also married a daughter of Myron 
Holly, and who died comparatively young. 
Abraham Beaumont was another of Myron Hol- 
ly's son-in-laws. 



"Dr. William Ashley came here in 1803 from 
Deerfield, Mass., and his only daughter married 
Mr. Hiram G. Hotchkiss, who for many years 
after maintained a right royal home in the old 
mansion. 

"I well, remember the family of Zalomon Rice, 
whose home was a beautiful place on the hill. 
Mr. Rice built the house. It was afterwards the 
home of Van R. Richmond, who was connected 
with the State Engineer's office. 

"Mr. Remsen, who died a few years ago, 
lived on Phelps street opposite the Chamber- 
lains. 

"Deacon Taft was one of the noblest of the 
old timers of this village. He died many years 
ago leaving several children, all of whom were 



16 



'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



counted among the prominent families of this 
section. Among othei* of the old families that 
now come to my mind were those of Dr. Chap- 
man and A. J. Hovey, who lived on William 
street. 

"My father's sister married Thomas, the son 
of Judge Dorsey. The Judge came here from 
Maryland, bringing with him a retinue of slaves. 
The negroes were finally scattered throughout 
this section of the state and have many descend- 
ants living in Geneva, Canandaigua and other 
places. I have heard my father say that Judge 
Dorsey built the old fram.e house on the site of 
the Dunn place. Judge Dorsey had t ?n or twelve 



Catharine and Spencer streets. Where are now 
our residence and grounds was a pasture then. 

"Mr. Parshall also bought 2,000 acres at Sodus 
known as the Shaker tract. Three hundred 
acres have been sold, so that 1700 remain in our 
family. The Shaker settlement, as I remember 
it when I was a child, consisted of four large 
buildings. One was their principal home. An- 
other was what was called the meeting house 
where the Shakers gave entertainments. In it 
were tiei's of seats rising one above the other. 
It was there that I have seen their peculiar 
dancmg. The Shakers' was a favorite resort for 
pleasure to people who went there. Visitors 
were entertained, being fed and lodged, for 




Russell. PlH>t( 



ACTIVE HOSE CO. NO. 3. 



Lower Kow, left to right, .Tames Perdiiyn. ('lareuce Bissell. Second Row . John Philip Walter House, 
Fred Olaii.-i-'eii, 1st assistant foreman, treorfie Roijers. foreman, George Oiucker, M assistant foreman, Wm. 
Marshall, treasurer. Martin Young. Third Row. Albert Boehnd('r. Henry Se^ reiher, John Norton, Wni. 
Manes, Clarence Dunn, Gordon Triimpour. Fourth Row, Claude Shuler. Dennis Selilee, Otto Berns, Claries 
Blaise, Charles Lawrence, George Cunningham, Eui?ene Whitman. Fifth Row, EMward Bailey, Fred Ernst, 
Wm Parkman, Edward Haessig. 



children who were popular among the young 
people of this locality. The mother of Mr. 
Bashford was one of them. Judge Dorsey was 
a great Methodist. 

"DeWitt Parshall, my husband, was a banker 
here many years. From a boy he was known for 
his generosity and kindness. He left the bank 
to his daughter, Mrs. Dr. Chamberlain, whose 
husband managed it with good judgment. It is 
now equally well managed by his sons. 

"Mv husband bought a considerable tract of 
land In this part of the village, which is now 
built up with village houses, and includes what 
is now Rural Cemetery. My husband laid out 
this cemetery and sold the lots. He extended 



which of course they paid, and charged admis- 
sion to the entertainments in this meeting house. 
I have no doubt that the Shakers realized large- 
ly in finances from guests. They have long since 
been scattered. Some of them I believe joined 
the old Oneida community. The big family 
house still remains a placte for the entertainment 
of guests of our family during the summer 
months. The tract is a great fruit farm. Dr. 
Chamberlain managed the property for some 
years and he obtained enormous yields of apples. 
"I recall Joppa, as this part of the village has 
always been called, as a thinly, poorly built sec- 
tion. There are distinct recollections of all of 
the section now occupied by beautiful homes and 



'GRIPS • HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



17 



pir J 




^•fW/w ?M?1 * .^ P 



•^ 



i'i I 



^ L Mi 

• "i I - / ■ 




B<rns. Photi 



BANQUET HOOK AND LADDER COMPANY, NO. L 



Man with Triimpet, Win . Hall, foreman ; at lii.s side, Louis Otnodd : to the left, K( ed Feioek, 1st assistant 
foreman. On Running Board, left to right, George Aherns, 2d assistant foreman, Thomas Burke, William 
Sisson, William Gibbs and Charles Hermans. On Top Truck, right to left, Bert Buell ( on driver's seat ), Fred 
Foster, Fred Tim. Henry Schuldt, Loiiis Lendt. Arthur Greenagel, Hirold Yae^kle, Irving AUee, William 
Edwards, Harry Hufher, George Plummer, William Weisenberger. Upper Row, left to right, William 
Mvers, Bert Feioek. Albert Smith, Floyd Willis. 



splendid lawns, on Phelps, Spencer, Catherine, 
Holly and Jackson streets, where it was noth- 
ing more than a tract of pasture land, where 
but a few scattering houses stood. 

•'My recollections go back to the days of the 
canal prior to the opening of railroads and con- 
spicuous in my mind's eye were the packet dock 
and the lock. People then travelled largely on 
boats— packets and liners. The first named 
were the most rapid means of traveling then. 
The liners, drawn by two horses, moved slower 
and carried people who desired to travel in the 



most economical manner, many of whom were 
immigrants. 

"The canal lock was one of the landing places 
where we girls used to go to see the boats come, 
and the dock, back of Canal street was another. 
The arrival of a boat load of immigrants was an 
attraction which brought out many sight seers. 
What interested us, of court e was the dress 
which the women wore, conspicuous for its 
brightly colored woolen skirt and od;lly s'laped 
Httle cap. Often the immigrants would get off 
at the dock or lock start fires and do their cooking. 




Russell, Photo. 



M. L. TUCKER HOSE COMPANY, NO. 4. 



Tjower Row. left to right, Augustus Mills, Frank Covert, George Simmons, A. T. Robinson. Lewis Heni y, 
foreman. Cliarles Bryant. Patrick Polly, Bert Czerney. Se<-ond Row. George Simmons, jr.. Eiward Reynolds. 
Harry Warren, jr., Daniel Chappell. Grover Erhardt. Bert AUee. Howard Soggs. Third Ro.v. Edward 
Aherns. Edward Miller, Irving Wyckoff, Harry Warren, sr.. Arthur Knapp. Roy Knox. Stephen Rotach. 



18 



'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



"One of our favorite resorts after school was 
the hotel that stood on William street, now the 
site of the Stui'ges block. I don't know the cor- 
rect name of the hotel, but we used to call it the 
Lyons hotel. I was a girl, then, and after school 
several of us would go up on the balconies of the 
hotel and watch the arrival of the packets and 
the landing of passengers at the packet dock in 
the rear of the hotel. I can see the picture now 
—the sweeping up from the bend in the canal to 
t\\2 east, of the gaily decorated boats, flags fly- 
ing, three horses hitched to the tow line tandem 
trotting along the tow-path, a rider mounted on 
the rear horse— the blowing of a horn, announ- 
cing the approach of the boat, the decks of 
which were covered with richly di'essed people. 
There were ladies in bright costumes, carrying 



to the other, the boat stopping to pick them up 
as fast as it overtook them. I believe that on 
those packets we- were two days and one night 
reaching Albany. 

"The Court House and Jail fi'om my earliest 
recollection occupied one building, standing in 
the centre of the park. Whei'e the Lyons Bank 
now stands was a deguerrean gallery. The Ro- 
denbach & Gucker store is one of the structures 
on Canal street that were built many years ago. 
My husband bought all of the vacant lots, in his 
time, that he could get hold of, and put up build- 
ings. One of them stands on the northeast cor- 
ner of William and Canal streets and the others 
include all of the south side of Canal street from 
the Lyons bank to Rodenbach & Gucker's store, 
except the two German hotels; also the building 




Birn-. Photo. 

L. M. BLAKELY HOSE COMPANY, NO. 6. 

Lower Row. left to right. Charles Prafke, Fred Miller. Charle.s Klagjie, foreman. John Martin, Ellsworth 
SoKgs. Seconrl Row. Michael Unger, William Voelzer, sr., Sylvanus Bailey, John Joel. Albert Bade, John 
Fi-iesman. Third Row, Adam Stell, William Shuler. James Boyle, William Voelzer, .ir.. Fred Ritter. Fourth 
Row, Wil iam Berns, Pliillip H. Martin, Henry Parkraan, William Lendt. 



jjretty parasols; and gentlemen sleekly dressed 
wearing high hats. Men and women would be 
gathered in groups upon the boats— some hang- 
ing over the rails, others at the bow of the boat, 
and here and there knots of people seated at 
games, or a group of women engaged in sewing 
and embroidery work, and of men smoking and 
chatting. 

"When I went to school at Albany I accom- 
panied my father on one of these packets. A 
long, central room in the boat was where we 
dined and got shelter in stormy weather. It was 
surrounded by draperies which hid the sleeping 
accommodations. Often the passengers would 
alight when the boat entered a lock, and walk on 
while it was being locked through from one level 



occupied by a meat market at the corner of Can- 
al and Geneva streets. The large brick build- 
ings opposite were put up by my husband and 
Dr. A. L. Beaumont. 

"I remember the old museum in a building op- 
posite the Methodist church. The building was 
long since torn down." 

Lyons, Why so Named. — Lyons received its 
name from Charles Williamson, the land agent, 
who fancied a resemblance to the Saone and 
Rhone rivers at their junction in the city of 
Lyons, France, to the Canandaigua outlet and 
the Ganargua river, as well as the surrounding- 
scenery of plain and upland. 



"GRIPS" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



19 




Russell. Plioto. 

POSTMASTER ZIMMERLIN AND STAFF. 

Sitting (centrei, H. F. Zimmerliii. At his right, Dexter M. Teller, deputy ; his left, Mary A. Maekin, 
jnoney order clerk. .\t the ends: (next to Miss Maekin ) Cxcorge W. Caryer and (next to Mr. Teller! Henry 
J. Bourne, clerks. City Cai-riers. left to right, John H. Puis, Albert E. Bai-ton and Albert M. Christinan. 
Rural Carriers, left to right. Henry Youngs. Albert T. York. William V. Lancaster. George Humbert. Wm. 
H. Westendorf. Charles E. Fisher. ' 



The Spencer Sportsmen's Club, which is 
recognized as a crack organization, was organ- 
ized in 1879 and was incorporated in 1890. Very 
few of the organizers are living. Among the 
number were P. J. Powell, G. W. Cramer, A. S. 
Hale, George Kent, W. S. Gavitt, Dr. J. W. 
Putnam and H. G. Hotchkiss. From the pro- 
ceeds of a State convention once held in this vil- 
lage was erected the pleasant Club house, which 
stands on Phelps street, three-quarters of a mile 
from the Court House. The Club engages in 
monthly shoots and occasionally brings off an 
event which draws to Lyons fi'om outside places 
good marksmen. It was named after an old 
time enthusiastic sportsman, J. C. Spencer. 



ToAX'n of Lyons; Its Ei'ection. — The town of 
Lyons was set off from Sodus in 1811 and four 
years later was divided into Lyons and Arcadia. 

Drowned in I827— The first serious drown- 
ing in the village of Lyons occurred March 3, 
1827. Peter Canine, Wm. Gilbert, Curtiss Kil- 
bourn and Solomon Wright were upset in a skiff 
in the outlet and all but Canine were drowned. 

First Common Pleas— The first term of 
Common Pleas for the County of Wayne was 
convened at the Presbyterian chui-ch, Lyons, 
Tuesday, May 27, 1823, Judges Tallmadge, Sisson, 
Arne and Monax on the bench. 




Rev. H. C. Schinieder, Photo. 

SPENCER SPORTSMEN'S CLUB. 
First Row on steps, left to right, Frank Myers. William Witt. Edward Burnett. W, S. Gavitt. Henry 
Killick. S. B. (Tavitt. Second Row, standing. William Harris. 



20 



"GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 




Borrowed Pi!(i1(>. 

REV. L. A. OSTRANDER. 

Presbyterian Church— This was the earhest 
fully organized church society in Lyons, although 
a few worshippers in the Methodist faith ha;l 
been holdm i re^uh.r, stated 
services for a y^ar or tv. o 
prior. 

The Presbyterian sociely 
was organized at a meeting 
held at the house of John 
Riggs January 2, 1800, and 
the trustees chosen at that 
time were John Taylor, 
John Perrine and John Van 
Wickle. Sr. After that 
regular services were con- 
ducted by one of the trust- 
ees or by a minister who 
happened along until Octo- 
ber 23, 1809, when the 
church society was re-or- 
ganized with twenty-two 
members. Five days later 
John Perrine and Abram 
Romeyn were chosen Elders, 
and for a year or two the 
pulpit was occupied by Rev. 
John Stuart, then living and 
preaching at Seneca Falls. 

The names of the twenty- 
two members above referred 
to are: John and Mary 
Perrine, John and Anna 
Gault, William and Abigail 
Alfred, Henry Pitcher, 
Lydia, wife of Lawrence 
Hessinger, Matthew Clarke, 
John R. VanWickle, Simon 
VanWickle, Peter and Anna 
Perrine, John Riggs, Thom- 
as and Margaret Peacock, 
William and Nellie Patten, 
Anna, wife of Ezekial Price, 
and Abram and Mary Ro- 
meyn. 



A few years previous to the re-crganization, 
about 180p, John Perrine, John VanWickle, Wrn. 
Patten and others secured by grant from 
the state what was known as "the parsonage 
farm," as a permanent endowment for the 
"Presbyterian Society of Lyons." They also 
obtained title to village lots on Queen street in 
the name of the Society. 

The first sermon preached to the Society was 
by Rev. Mr. Merrill of Junius, at a gathering in 
John Perrine's barn. This was in the winter of 
1799. Among the next earlier preachers or mis- 
sionaries was Rev. William Clark. 

In 1811 Rev. Francis Pomeroy began preach- 
ing here but was not installed until June 29, 
1S14. The church then numbered 53 mem.beis. 

The first house of worship was a warehouse, 
the fii'st frame building erected in Lyons (see 
"Old Glover House," page 45), which the society 
purchased of Charles Williamst^n's agent and 
moved from the bank of the river in 1806 to 
Queen street, between William and Broad 
streets. 

In September, 1823, the society resolved that 
it ought to build a new sti-ucture and in Februa- 
ry, 1824, it was by resolution determined that 
the site of the new edifice should be on the pub- 
lic square. 

In 1825 the new building, afterwards sold to 
the Lutheran society, was erected. Just 25 
year later a building was erected on the present 




Courtesy of Joliu Riioker, Plioto. 

THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 



'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



21 




Ru^isell. Photo. 

THE PRIMARY DEPARTMENT— PRESBYTERIAN SUNDAY SCHOOL. 

Beginninj; at left hand, first row, George Reuhle. Arthur Reuhie, Roy Beach, Ralph Covert, Lyman 
Rogers, Clifford Noble, Chester Crocker, Ralph Palmeter, Harold .Shearer, Lester Groat, Pletcher Towler- 
ton, Miss Bennett, Ralph Sluarer, Roswell Marshall, Milton Hartman. George Barker. Lewis Rude 
Arthur Moore. Percy Pyles. Second row. Mrs. Reuhle, Luraan Deuchler. James Stark, Linda Derrick 
Isabel Bailey, Rhea Palmeter, Helen Crocker, Mildred Covert. Leona Boehmler. Marion Boehmier 
Josephine Palmeter. Gertrude Shearer, Gladys Pyles, Katherine Stark. Raymond Hitchcock, Roy Comp 
son. Third row, Willie Woodward. Rov Smith. Nellie Putnam, Vivian Palmer, Emma Lake, Glady: 
Mills, Emogene Compson. Elizabeth Sheldon, Florabel Murphy. Dorothy Hubbard. Tjisbian Mann, Rachel 
Barclay, Lena Andrews, Mada Putnam, Alice Mills. Siebert Compson. Fourth row. Miss Cromwell, Eva 
Palmeter, Miss Frank Bennett. Mi.ss Osttander, Miss Leach, Dr. Ostrander, Mrs. Sheldon, Miss Rogers, 
Mis. Lena Rogers. 



Presbyterian church site, which in 189.5 was re- 
modeled at an expense of $9,500. 

The Pastors: Revs. Mr. Merrill, William 
Clark, John Lindsley and John Stuart, up to 
1811; Rev. Francis Pomeroy 1811--'25, Rev. 
Lucas Hubbell 1825-'39, Rev. Ira Ingraham 
1840--'8, Rev. Charles Hawley 1848--'57, Rev. 
William H. McHarg 1858--'62, Rev. Horatio 
Woodward Brown 1863--'5, Rev. Samuel B. Bell 
1866--'73, Rev. Dr. A. A. Wood 1873-'82. Rev. 
L. A. Ostrander, the present pastor, began No- 
vember 19, 1882. 

The Fire Department- [By E. P. Boyle] — 
One of the first acts of the first Board of Village 
Trustees, which was elected at the charter elec- 
tion when Lyons was first incorpoi-ated, held 



May 1, 1831, [See "Lyons; Its Incorporation," 
on another page, for names of the trustees], was 
to oi'ganize a fire company and a hook and ladder 
brigade, the first consisting of 21 members and 
the latter 9. 

On June 25, 1831, the department was duly 
organized. The personnel of the fire company 
was John M. Holly, Charles Paine, Abel Lyman, 
Elbridge Williams. George Dippy, Orra Bennett, 
Jonas W. Goodrich, William Hewlett, John H. 
Levant, Albert B. Leach, Samuel Andrews, 
William A. Cook, Miles S. Leach, H. G. Dicker- 
son, Nehemiah H. Smith, Philip Dorsheimer, 
George Bobbins, William Hecox, Thomas Wafer, 
James Westfall, 3d. 

The Hook and Ladder brigade consisted of 
George Benton, Gabriel Furman. Thompson 




Russell, Photo. ,• i 

BUDS OF SWEETNESS— (Miss bloane s Kmdergarten) . 

Front Row. John Wolvin, Robert Ennis, Frances Cummings, Edwin Lytle, Frederick Weyman. Upper 
Row, Howard Marshall, Mirian Carpenter, James StarUs, Tom Ennis, Kathryn Starks, Lewis Rvide, Ger- 
.trude Holloway. 



22 



'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



Harrington, Milton Curtis, Charles Hickok, 
David Benton, Sumner Taylor and George G. 
Williams. 

H. G. Dickerson was chosen captain, or chief, 
of the fire company, and Thompson Harrington 

senior leader of the Hooks. 

After the organization of this modest fire de- 
partment the Village Board passed an ordinance 
imposing a fine of $5 upon all "healthy male in- 
habitants in the village between the ages of 15 
and 65 years" who refused to turn out and ren- 
der assistance at a fire, bnt as a conflagration in 
those days invariably brought out the entire 
population, it is not recorded that it was ever 
found necessary to enforce the ordinance. 

A rude contrivance called the Engine Dart, to 
which was attached a few yards of leather hose, 



stands and is a part of the dwelling house owned 
by Samuel Cullip on Catharine street. 

In 1851 the site of the present engine house, 
No. 1, was purchased, and what was then con- 
sidered an imposing structure was erected by 
the late John M. Pickett and John Gray. This 
building now stands west of John Puis' grocery 
on Jackson street. 

The Hook and Ladder brigade's equipment, 
which for years consisted principally of carpen- 
ters' ladders and pike poles, was deemed insuffi- 
cient to the needs of the department, so in 1850 
the brigade was reorganized by Joseph McCall 
and the late Amos Harrington and more modern 
apparatus was purchased on moving into the 
new engine house. 

On Sept. 15, 1851, the then magnificent hand 




Kussell, I'hotci. 

CEMETERY AND 
Rural C'cni<jt(^i\v. iiisiiU- of lower eiitraiii-c. 
Kur:il Ci'iiictcrv, inside upper eiitraiife. 

was the only piece of fire fighting apparatus 
owned by the village. It was here before the 
village was incorporated, and whence it came or 
how it got here is a profound mystery. It had a 
reservoir holding a few barrels of water and was 
kept filled by the bucket brigade of the company 
from near-by wells and cisterns, while two men 
turned the crank to force the water through the 
hose. 

The first big fire in the village occurred about 
this time, when the Leach grist mill and fulling 
mill was destroyed on the site of the present 
structure of the Lyons Milling Company, and it 
can be imagined how inadecjuate the primitive 
Dart was to cope with such an emergency. 

The first engine house was built in 1833 at a 
cost of $135, in the "public square east of the 
jail yard," now the park. The old structure still 



OTHER VIEWS. 

Eli'<-tric LiKlit Works and Pond. 
•Vi-nice,'" the Mill Race and T^retty Yards. 

engine Rescue was purchased. That was a gala 
day for Lyons. The Rescue supplied itself with 
water by means of a suction pipe and would 
throw a stream over any two story building in 
the village. A dozen determined men on each 
side of the machine developed sufficient power 
to stretch the leather hose almost to bursting. 

In 1854, after the village had obtained a "new 
charter, the office of chief engineer was made 
elective. The first chief elected under this pro- 
vision was John Knowles. Philander P. Brad- 
dish and Peter R. Westfall were 1st and 2d 
assistants. The last chief elected by the people 
was Alderman Richard D. Pudney in 1873, who 
was then member of Rescue Hose Co. No. 3, 
which was disbanded that year, its member.s 
joining other companies. 

The Eagle engine was purchased in 18-55 and 



'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



23 



remained in active service nearly forty years. 
Rubber hose had superseded the old clumsy 
leather variety and the village owned about 800 
feet which was reeled up on two hose carts. 

In 1871 the Silsby steam fire engine was pur- 
•chased and also a large quantity of hose. In the 
spring of 1872 the taxpayers voted funds to build 
a new engine house and in that year the present 
splendid Engine House No. 1, the headquarters 
of the department, was erected. In 1885 the big 
Button steamer was added to the department 
and in 1886 the Lyons water woi'ks system was 
established with fire plugs on every street and a 
pressure of 80 pounds maintained. 

Later, the necessity of hose houses became 
manifest. Jordan Hose Company took the initia- 
tive and built a house of its own on Geneva 
street in 1893. Steamer Hose Co. No. 2 built on 



No. 4 was organ- 



M. C. Tucker Steamer Co. 
ized in 1881. 

J. S. Jordan Hose Co. No. 5 was organized in 
1898. 

L. M. Blakely Hose Co. No. 6 was organized 
in 1889. 

Hook and Ladder Co. No. 1 places the date of 
its organization back to 1831, with the formation 
of the original Hook and Ladder Co. of nine 
members. 

The department has a complement of 225 men. 
The apparatus, all of which is modem, consists 
of two steam fire engines, a chemical extin- 
guisher, two ladder trucks, carrying 300 feet of 
single and extension ladders, with hooks, ropes, 
pikes and other devices for razing dangerous 
walls. There is about a mile of hose; most of 
which is new. There are six carts and a hose 




KusselL Plioto. 



Erie Canal, lookin 
Ganarfjua River and Canal. 
Leach Street Bridse. 



PRETTY WATER SCENES IN THE VILLAGE, 
nortli from Water Street Bridge. Canal Lock 55, looking ea.st from Leach Street Bridge. 

Erie Canal, looking east from Montez.uma Street Bridge, 



looking west from 



Water street in 1896. Blakely Hose Co. No. 6 
built on Jackson street in 1899. 

The organization of the different companies, 
in numerical order, is as follows: 

Independent Hose Co. No. 1, the senior com- 
pany, claims descent from the original Fire Com- 
pany established in 1831. 

Steamer Hose Co. No. 2 was organized in 1852, 
after the purchase of the Rescue hand engine. 
This company has since been re-organized; the 
last time in 1872 when the company adopted its 
present name and attached itself to the new 
Silsby steamer. 

Active Hose Co. No. 3 was organized in 1853 
under the name of Rescue Hose Co. No. 3, and 
continued under that name twenty years when it 
disbanded. The present organization was ef- 
fected Feb. 24. 1874. 



wagon, carrying nearly 500 feet of hose each, 
with a reserve supply of 1,800 feet of hose at 
headquarters. The department is well supplied 
with patent nozzles, smoke arresters and other 
conveniences for inside work. 

For much of the information given above I am 
indebted to William Van Camp for access to the 
files of the Democratic Press, and to our vener- 
able townsmen, Stephen Playford and Joseph 
McCall. 

Lyons in 1830. — In a Lyons paper of April 
21, 1830, in which appeared a report of a com- 
mittee appointed by the Bible society, the fol- 
lowing statistics were given:— There are in the 
town 648 families, 694 bibles, 530 testaments, and 
114 families destitute. 



24 



'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



Bori'owed P 




REV. .\LRERT HEYD. 



The First Evangelical Lutheran church was 
organized of several German families who had 
settled in Lyons Nov. 9, 1830, by Rev. Dietrich 
Willers, pastor of the Reformed church in Fay- 
ette, Seneca Co., who began preaching in the 
summer preceding, his first sermon being deliv- 
ered in Kruger's schoolhouse, July 18, 

1830. On Nov. 6, the first officers were 
installed. Pastor Willers preached 1(j 
the congregation regularly until 183(5. 

Then came Pastor .Johann -Jacc-b 
Beillharz, under whose administration 
(1836-'8) a church edifice was erected. 
In 1850 this structure, 50x38 feet, was 
torn down, the society having purchased 
and on January 1st of that year taken 
possession of the old Presbyterian 
church on the west side of the park. 
The cost of the property to the Lutheran 
society was .$3,000. This change wr.s 
made during the pastorate of Phillip 
Heinrich Dennler. 

The next year many of the congrega- 
tion desiring a younger pastor to preach 
to them, employed Pastor Grotrian, Pas- 
tor Dennler at' the same time remaining 
to i)reach to the many who had refused 
to consent to his departure. This ar- 
rangement lasted less than a year, for 
both resigned in 1852. A few years later, 
about 1859. the congregation severed its 
connection with the New York Synoi'. 
causing a split in the church. Thosr 
who seceded secured Pastor D. Stall 1- 
schmidt and the others employed Pasti v 
Berger. This split continued scarcely as 
long a time as the first, for in 1860 Pas- 
tor C. H. Thomsen came to Lyons and re- 
united the congregation. 

The society returned to its allegiance 
with the New York Ministerium under 
the pastorate of Pastor E. Schoppe, 
about 1867 or '68. 



It was after the arrival of Pastor G. Manz that 
the society paid .$2,700 for the parsonage and it 
was during his term that repairs and alterations 
were made to the church. On October 15, 1875, 
the main auditorium was consecrated by Pastor 
Manz to the triune God and the dedication of the 
lower part took place on Jan. 23, 1876. The 
total cost of the alterations was $2,6.50. In April, 
1877, Pastor Manz resigned and organized the 
St. .John's Evangelical Lutheran church of 
Lyons. 

All indebtedness of the church was finally 
liquidated under Pastor Koehler's ministration. 

On Nov. 10, 1882, the Ladies' Aid society was 
organized and in November, 1884, a Young Men's 
society was formed. 

In April, 1885, at a meeting called for the pur- 
pose, it was decided to build a new church. But 
the new building became a necessity much sooner 
than was expected. On the morning of the 20th 
of the same month an hotel building opposite the 
church was discovered to be on fire, from which 
the church steeple soon caught. The entire 
structure was destroyed. The Sunday school 
benches, organ, pulpit, Bible hymn books, com- 
munion set and altar were rescued fi'om the 
flames; but the rest of the property was an en- 
tire loss, including the bell which weighed 1,339 
pounds. As the society had no insurance the 
loss amounted to about $5,000. 

Work on the new building was begun July 15, 
1885, and the corner stone was laid Sept. 15 of 
the same year, the donation of Mr. Pitkin of 
Rochester. Services were held in the lower 
auditorium in January. 1883. and in the church 




lurtt-sy of K<'V. H. ('. ScluiH-idtT, Pliotd. 
BROAD STREET EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH. 



'GRIP'S HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



25 




Courti'sv of 



•. AIImim Hcy.l. 
THE OLD LUTHERAN CHURCH. 



proper the following- April. It is a very pretty 
and im))osing- church building, 105x65 feet, and 
cost about $25,000. One steeple rises to the 
cloud-piercing height of 170 feet and the other 
■SS feet. The auditorium seats 700 people. The 
new church was proposed and constructed during 
the pastorate of Pastor J. Timm, who also in- 
troduced English evening services to meet the 
wants of the younger people. During the pas- 
torate of Pastor E. Heyd the young people do- 



nated a beautiful pulpit and during the 
term of his brother, the present pas- 
tor, who was his successor, many 
other important and embellishing im- 
provements have been made, including 
interior decorations which cost $800, 
not to mention a slate roof. 

The pastors and the years in whole 
or in part during which they served: 
Rev. Dietrich Willers 1830-'6, Pastor 
Johann Jacob Beillharz 1836-'8 Phillip 
Heinrich Dennler 1838-'52, Grotrian 
1851-'2, E. Albert Ehert 1852-'6. 
Huschman 1855-'9, D. Stahlschmidt 
and Berger 1859-'60, C. H. Thomsen 
1860-'4, E. Schoppe 1864-'7, Joseph 
Schmalze 1867-'70, G. Manz 1870-'7, 
H, E. Koehler 1877-'84, J. A. Timm 
1884-'93, Ernst Heyd 1893-1900, Albert 
Heyd, present pastor, took charge Feb. 
1, 1900. 

Reminiscences; —Geo. W. Knowles 
Tells of Many Old Timers in Lyons 
and Where They did Business; He 
Describes How So Many Germans 
Came to Locate at Lyons: — 
George W. Knowles, who has lived 
in Lyons all of his life and has for 
several years bought produce in Water 
street, says that in his earlier recollec- 
tions the greater part of the business in 
the village was carried on in Water 
street. The three big dry goods houses of those 
times were Dewey & Wells, Caleb Rice & Co., 
and Knowles Bros. 

"Over in Joppa then," said Mr. Knowles, 
"were John Adams and George W. Cramer, two 
large merchants. N. B. Caswell carried rn bus- 
iness where the postoffice is now. In the Centre 
Building H. & B. W. King kejit dry goods, the 
second store from William street. The Centre 
Building, erected by Zalomon Rice, extended 




Bwiis, Plioti 



SUNDAY SCHOOL ASSOCIATION. BROAD STREET CHURCH, 
left to rijjlit, Fred Clausst-n, Charles H Uuck.r, Rev. All. 



Lower Row, left to njjlit, Fred Claasseii, Charles H Uucker, Rev. All.ert Heyd, E. J. Klii)i)el, B< 
L. Giieiithiier. Middle Row. Mrs. (ieo, H. Stell. Miss Lizzie (iraff, Miss (iertrnde Martin, Mrs. 
Unger, Miss Clara Miiidell. Mrs. Peter Mintel. Upper U,,\\ . Miss Hatfie S. Uuiu'erer, Mrs. Charles C 
sen, A. M. Boehniler. Miss Philopena Heyd. Miss Matilda H.-vd. Hartwi;; D. Unserer, Miss Eva D. Bai- 
Miss Gertrude Selilee. Mi.ss Bertha Price. Mi.ss Clara Radder, Arthur En«el. Miss Lena Lauster. 



rtha 
Hart 
laas- 
tian. 



28 



'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 




Russell, Plioto. 



Cmial st,. foot Catherine st,. looking wc 
Shiiler St., looking ea-st from Creneva st. 
High st , looking south from Bear st. 
Jackson st.. looking east from Phelps st. 



BEAUTIFUL RESIDENTIAL STREETS. 

Butternut st., looking north from Chuv^-h st. 
Catherine st., looking north from Holly st. 
Catherine st., looking nortli from Lawrence st. 
Holly St., looking west from Spencer st. 



east along Montezuma street to the canal where 
was located the Canal Collector's office and un- 
derneath it were canal groceries. 

"I rsmember going to school in the Centre 
Building 60 years ago. The school occupied two 
rooms in the middle of the block on the second 



floor. The Lyons Democratic Argus was then 
printed in that building. Years after Col. Ira 
Mirick converted the east end of the building 

into a malt house. 

"Col. Kreutzer kept a hardware store which 
had previously been occupied by Remsen & Pol- 



"GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



27 



hamus. The principal grocery business in Joppa 
was that of E. B. Price, in the place now occu- 
pied by Burnett & Co. 

"Daniel Waters' dry goods store was next to 
Price's. The Rodenbach & Gucker store was 
occupied by E. G. Thurston and afterwards by 
George C. Strang, who had been a clerk for 
Thurston. The old Joppa House that comes 
within my recollection stood about where Deuch- 
ler's wagon shop is. The Landon House stood 
on the site of the Sturges Block. Where the old 
hitching barn now stands was the packet dock. 

"I recall several small one-story buildings 
about town in which it was customary in those 
days for lawyers to 
have their offices. 
Among the most 
prominent of the 
lawyers was John M. 
Holly. Gen. Adams 
was a prominent man 
in his time. 

"A. L. Beaumont 
built the house now 
occupied by Charles 
H. Betts, which Col. 
Ira Mirrick after- 
v/ards bought and 
occupied for many 
years. Beaumont at 
one time owned the 
house in which Mrs. 
Dr. Chamberlain re- 
sides. DeW'itt Par- 
shall, the founder of 
the Lyons Bank, was 
a prominent man. 

This bank was 
opened in the second 
story of the building 
v/here Kaiser's sa- 
loon now is. 

•'Before my recol- 
lection the old Lyons 
bank occupied the 
present Bank of 
Wayne building. This 
preceded the private 
bank of Chapman & 
Sisson. 

■'Judge Sisson lived 
on our street. He 
was quite wealthy. 
His law office stood 
on Water street 
about where our 
present block stands. 
There was quite a 
row of lawyei's' one- 
story offices on Water 
street at one time. 
H. G. Hotchkiss, 
who died a few years 
ago, was the origin- 
ator and large shipper of peppermint oil. I 
believe he was also the original grower of pep- 
permint. He was the first man in this section 
to ship peppermint oil in battles unier a trade 
mark which gave Lyons wida reputation for its 
peppermint oil. Caleb Rice was a 1 .rge wool 
and apple buyer of those times and was the first 
man in Lyons to ship apples to the eastern 
rr.arkets. 

"I remember George W. Benton, the landlord 



of the old Benton tavern which stood on the 
present site of the Hotel Baltzel. The court 
house and jail were in a building in the centre 
of the public square. The brick of the court 
house was sold to Mike Lawrence when that 
building was torn down and was used in con- 
iitructing the present homestead of Will Scott. 
"As far back as I can remember packets and 
liners were the means of travel between Lyons 
and the outside world. The earliest location of 
the postoffice of which I have any knowledge, 
was in a one-story building on the southeast cor- 
ner of the park, in the present quarters of 
Mapes cigar store. Many years before, it was 




Courtesy Lj-ons Repiibliean. 

THE OLD POST OFFICE CORNER. 

The orignal of this pi<-ture is owned by Mrs. Wiiliam Aslilev and was made 
in 1«G0 by Mr. Forbes, the first photographer in Lyons. On tlie right is MeEI- 
waiii (feRichurdson's wagon shop and beyond tliesteepleoftiie Methodist eliur<,-li. 

in a building where Getman's block now stands. 
It was afterwards in what is now called the post- 
office coi'ner. 

••Where tne present Sturges and Memcrial 
bull -lings stand ihere was a row of small build- 
ings. Prominent among the lawyers, who had 
an office in one of those buildings, was James C. 
Smith, who was then of the firm of Cornell, 
Smith & Arnold. Smith, who was a son-in-law 
of John Adams, the old merchant of Lyons, 



28 



•GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVEXIR OF LYONS. 



afterwards went to Canandaigua and became a 
noted Judge. F. E. Cornell, one of his partners, 
went to Buffalo. George H. Arnold died many 
years ago. John M. Holly's office was on Canal 
street, four doors below the Lyons bank. 

"The old dry dock on the canal, east of the 
pottery, was for years run by George Williams, 
brother of Aleck Williams, who was a prominent 
politician and was county clerk at one time. The 
dry dock here was not a busy place, for there 
were better facilities for patching boats at 
Newark. 

"The first hatter in Lyons was H. G. Dicker- 
son, who made fur hats in a shop on Water 
street, next to our block. He came here from 




('(lurti'sy of Lyons Repulilicaii 



THK COURT HOUSE. 



Danbury, Ct., in 1825, and was generally referred 
to as Dick, the hatter. 

"Newell Taft's furnace was one of the earliest 
important industries of Lyons. Deacon Taft's 
daughter is Mrs. Ennis. His residence stood on 
top of the hill and is now occupied by Prof. 
Kinney. Deacon John Gilbert was another man- 
ufacturei' who gave Lyons considerable promi- 
nence outside. He was the originator of the 
fanning mill and he shipped his machines all over 
the world. Twelve yeai's ago Wm. Ashley- now 
dead -was probably the oldest male resident of 
Lyons. His recollection was excellent. I have 
heard him tell how Lyons came to be so strongly 
settled with Gei-mans. He said he remembered 
one morninj;- getting up and finding his back yard 
filled with German inunigrants who had during 
the night arrived on the boat. His home was on 



William street near the school house. The immi- 
grants were inquiring for Philip Dorsheimer, 
who was then running the Landon House. Dor- 
sheimer was a prominent man in those days. 
He afterwards moved to Buffalo and had a son 
who became Lieutenant-Govei-nor of this state. 
Dorsheimer, it appears, according to Wm. Aoh- 
ley, i)ointed out to the new comers the fact that 
they could not get better farms anvwhere in the 
state than around Lvons; and he induced most 
of them to buy land hereabouts, upon which they 
settled and raised families. Many of their son's 
finally went into business in the village. They 
came here with money of their own--and were 
piosperou.^-. They represented the best cla.ss of 

intelligent, thi'ifty 
people that came 
across the water, 
and their descend- 
ants comprise the 
very best of the 
Wayne county jwp- 
ulation of to-day. 

"DeWittPar.shall, 
to w h o m I have 
refen-ed, had about 
as much to do with 
the growth of 
Lyons as any other 
single individual. 

"Among the best 
known in the vil- 
lage connected with 
early stage coach- 
i n g was Harvey 
Warren, who car- 
ried on a livei'y on 
the corner of Water 
and William streets 
and who ran a coach 
to Geneva carrying 
mail and passen - 
gers, which arrived 
thei-e by train, just 
after the Aubui-n 
road was built. 
Warren, who died 
a few years ago, 
made a fortune. 

"William Ashley 
was one of the early 
proprietors of Con- 
gress Hall, then the 
Lyons House. The 
old building was 

torn down about wai- time. Following Ashley 
as proprietor of Congress Hall, came William 
Mallory and afterwards Squire W. W. Sanford, 
Ashley's brothers-m-law. John Hano and Wm. 
Smelt rebuilt the house. The latter ran it for 
years and gave it the present name. Hano, I 
believe, sold it to Nye Langdon. During his 
time the upi)er part of the house was burned, 
and Langdon rebuilt, putting on the Mansard 
roof with another story. 

"About 1840 Clapp & Knowles were in busi- 
ness on the premises now occupied by Roselle, 
corner of Broad and Water streets. The firm of 
Pell & Andrews carried on the business of tail- 
oring one door south of Stephen Reals' liquor 
store." 

The First Tavern keeper in the county was 
John .\llbaugh, whose hotel stood at AUoway. 



'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



29 




Borrowed PJioto. 

JAMES WILSON DUNWELL, 
Snprerae Court Judge. 7tli Judicial District. 

James W. Dunwell, for years one of the 
jictive and leading practicing lawyers in Western 
New York, now Justice of the Supreme Court, 
resides in Lyons which has been his home since 
boyhood. From the district school which he 
early attended, he went to the Union school, 
and from there to Cornell University. In 1873 
he was admitted to the bar and for fifteen years 
prior to his election for the Supreme Court 
bench, he was law partner of the late Hon. John 
H. Camp, former member of Congress from this 
district. The firm of Camp & Danwell had an 



extensive practice in Wayne and adjoining coun- 
ties. Judge Dunwell for years prior to his selec- 
tion for the high judicial office he now holds, was 
a prominent supporter of the candidates and 
policies of the Republican party to which he is 
as strongly allied as ever. 

He was usually called upon to address voters 
from the platform during the campaigns, was 
for years a committeeman and was genei'ally a 
delegate to the conventions of his party. 

Judge Dunwell was in 1878 married to Miss 
Groat, daughter of Hon. R. P. Groat of Newark, 
Wayne Co., N. Y. They had one child, who is 
Mrs. E. B. Partridge of Phelps, N. Y. 

Grace Episcopal Church was organized Aug. 
14, 1826, under the ministration of Rev. John A. 
Clark, who for a year or more previous had been 
holding services in the village, coming from Pal- 
myra where he was then stationed, for that pur- 
pose. Thomas Forbes and James Agett wei-e 
chosen wardens, and William H. Adams, John 
Adams, J. B. Pierce, Henry Fei'ington, Benja- 
min Raney, Joseph Hall, Graham H. Chapin and 
Alexander Hays, vestrymen. The incorporation 
under the name St. Paul's church is dated Aug. 
25. The parish was admitted into union with 
the convention in Oct. 1826, Rev. John Henry 
Hobart, D. D., Bishop. The number of com- 
municants was 20. 

In 1828 the Rev. Mr. Clark was called to New 
York and from this time until 1834 occasional 
services only were held in Lyons, by the Rev. 
E. G. Geer, Rev. James M. Guion, Rev. Benja- 
min H. Hickox and Rev. Wm. M. Staunton. 
Palmyra and Lyons were then included in the 
same mission. 

On Aug. 13, 1838, at a meeting held in the 
Court House Gi"ace church parish was organized. 
Richard Bushnell and James Agett were elected 
wardens and W. H. Adams, J. Adams, R. H. 
Foster, G. C. Kingman, W. H. Lacy, H. Jame- 
son, J. H. Towar and D. McDonald vestrymen. 




Riissell, Photo. 



RESIDENCE OF JUDGE JAMES W. DUNWELL. 



30 



"GRIPS"' HISTORICAL SOUVENrR OF LYONS. 




Russel 



Photo. 

REV. W. 



N. VVEBBE. 



The Rev. Samuel Cooke, then just in orders, was 
chosen rector. The first clerk of the parish was 
R. N. Ames; the first delegates to the Diocesan 
Convention, Wm. H. and John Adams; the first 
sexton Thomas Bourne. 

During Mr. Cooke's rectorship the church was 
built, a bell donated by one of the congregation 
and an organ purchased. The cost of the church 
and organ was $12,000. The church during 1840 
was consecrated by Rt. Rev. W. H. DeLancey, 
D. D., Bishop of Western New York. 

During the rectorship of Rev. W. A. Fiske 
the church was enlarged, nearly doubling its 
original seating capacity. At this time stained 
glass windows were placed in 
the chancel and were also sub- 
stituted in the nave for the 
ordinary glass windows. 

In 1849 the parish house 
was constructed. During the 
rectorship of Rev. Wm. H. 
Wilhams the rectory was en- 
larged, the church made beau- 
tiful with mural and sanctu- 
ary decorations, exquisite in 
coloring and rich in symbolic 
meaning and beauty, the chan- 
cel remodeled in harmony with 
the recognized principles of 
ritual propriety, and the fur- 
niture thereof provided with 
a complete set of richly em- 
broidered hangings for all of 
the seasons and festal days of 
the year. The first rector was 
the Rev. Samuel Cooke, Aug. 
13, 1838-September, 1843. The 
next rector, Rev. Montgomery 
Schuyler, remained from Nov. 
1843 to June 1845. Then came 
the following rectors: — Rev. ijus^u piiot., 
W. H. A. Bis.sell, 1845-'8; grace 



Rev. F. F. Wardwell, 1849-'.50; Rev. Geo. M. 
Hills, 18.51-'3; Rev. W. A. Fiske June 1853-July 
1859; Rev. Sidney Wilbur, 1859-'61; Rev. W. 
W. Montgomery, 1861-'6; Rev. William H. 
Williams, 1867-'82; Rev. H. L. Everest; Rev. 
Henry Lubeck; Rev. W. H. Spaulding, D. D. ; 
Rev. John L. Harding; Rev. W. N. Webbe, 
Sept. 1, 1894, the present rector. 

Grace church has been signally blessed with 
beneficent endowments, by DeWitt Parshall, 
Mrs. Mann, Mrs. Haggerty, Mrs. Ellenwood and 
George C. Strang, whose benefactions aggregate 
.$14,061.29. 

Including the vestry there are nine organiza- 
tions with a total enrolled membership of about 
275. These are the choir, the Sunday school, the 
Ladies' Aid Society, the Woman's Auxiliary to 
the Board of Missions, the Altar Society, the 
Guild of St. Agnes, the Brotherhood of St. An- 
drew and the Junior Brotherhood of Grace 
church. 

Remfniscences ; Mrs. Weller Relates Incidents of 

Her Father, who Broke Meadow Land where 

the Village is Now Built Up: — 

Mrs. Mary A. Weller, born at Lyons in 1830, 
gives some interesting recollections of early 
times in her own naive manner : 

"My father and mother, Thomas and Sarah 
Bourne, came to Lyons in 1818, part of the wa^' 
by canal and on the western end of the journey 
by stage. Mr. Gillett, who has grandchildtten 
here, wrote to my folks that it would be a good 
place for them to come to as here they could 
make their own candles, soap and sugar, some- 
thing unheard of in the old country where they 
were living. My father helped break up the 
fields for cultivation on the Lyons bank farm 
which was originally part of the Riggs farm. 
He also helped cultivate a section which be- 
longed to Beaumont and Hecox and which ex- 
tended east from Phelps street. My two broth- 




EPISCOPAL CHURCH AND PARSONAGE. 



'GRIP S'- HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



31 



ers were once hardware merchants here. 
Thomas' store was where Marshall & Noble's 
now is. John H. Bourne was on Water street. 

"I remember the dry goods store o-f -Jcseph 
M. Demmon; also Miles S. Leach's on the north 
side of Water street; also John Adams', Napol- 
eon B. Caswell's, George Strang's and Wm. D. 
Perrine's, jeweler, on Broad street. I also 
recollect James Towar, who kept the Joppa 
House. The Lyons Hotel, where my father first 
stopped, was kept by Mr. Dorsheimer. 

"Every church which is now standing has been 
built within my recollection. I remember when 
the Presbyterians worshipped in the church 
which stood where the Lutheran church now is — 
the building that was burned down. 

"The first person buried in Rural Cemetery 
was a child of James C. Smith's. I also remem- 



sisters in a building on the flatiron lot. One of 
the district schools was near the present jail 
building. After the Catholics, using it for ser- 
vices, had vacated it the building was removed 
or torn down. My mind is not clear as to that. 
But I remember that a building intended to re- 
place it was being moved through the streets 
when the people complained so bitterly that it 
injured their trees that it was taken down on 
William street, near Water, where it still 
stands. 

"I remember the packets that used to arrive 
from the east at 4 p. M. The girls would go to 
the dock to see them come in. We passed 
through an alley or court leading to the canal 
from Canal street to reach the dock. As we 
turned into the drive from the street, on the left 
hand wcs a meat market kept by Mr. Denton, 



^^HM^M^BM^ 


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1 ■ ' % ',»*^^H 






M 




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^^^HJI^BI I!:^-]^^^Hb 


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^B* ^ ,^iM ^mBI^^^^H 


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91 


P 




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^-"^^^^^^ 


1 



Russelt, Photo. 

BASKET BALL TEAM, ST. ANDREW'S BROTHERHOOD, GRACE EPISCOPAL CHURCH. 

Lower Row, left to right, Augustus Matthes, RtA'. W. N. Webbe. John Starr. Next Row, 
Harold Yaeekel, Clareiu-e Schlee. Top Row. Bert Lehn, Verne Lehn. 



ber when the remains of John M. Holly were 
brought home. They were met by a large num- 
ber of citizens, south of the village, on the Ge- 
neva road. 

"Then there was the accidental shooting of 
Mr. Vand?rbilt by Almon Teachout on the tan- 
nery lot. Teachout was a physician. Vander- 
bilt had a contract for the brick work on the 
new schoolhouse. In some manner the target 
fell down and when Vanderbilt stepped out to 
replace it in position he received the shot from 
Teachout's gun. Just how it happened I can't 
say, although it was plainly accidental. 

"At one time within my memory there were 
two district schools in the village, and I recall 
attending a select school taught by the Curtis 



who was the largest man I ever saw. Mr. Good- 
rich kept a grocery— also on the east side of the 
drive, and opposite to him was Nathan B. South- 
ard's market. My father always patronized him 
because he was an Episcopalian. The Goodrich 
grocery building was afterwards split in two 
parts. Mr. Mirick made a storehouse of one 
part and the other is a part of the building now 
occupied by Mr. Hopkins' bakery. A brick block 
occupies the old driveway through which we 
went to get to the packet dock. 

"In my earliest years nobody had gardens 
here and my folks, who came from Kent, Eng., 
thought they could not get along without a gar- 
den. So we had one. Mother used to tend to 
it while father was away at work. 



32 



"GRIPS" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



"Old Mr. Pi'ice I remember quit.:^ well as the 
postmaster. One day my mother called at the 
postoffice for mail, and in reply to her query he 
said: 'Is some of your folks dead, in England? 
There is a package in the postoffice and it will 
cost $5 to get it, and I guess somebody has left 
you a fortune.' My mother not having the 
money to get it took her baby in her arms and 
walked out to Lockville, five miles, to bring 
back my father, so as to get the package. It 
contained many rare seeds which the next year 
we planted. " 

Mrs. Weller remembers, besides the district 
school on Catharine street and that afterwards 
used as a Catholic church, a school building 
which stood where Wm. Murphy's blacksmith 
shop now stands, in the rear of the Lutheran 
church; also a school which was taught in the 
old Masonic hall, corner of Broad and Church 
streets, which she says was torn down and on the 
site of which now stands Streeter's grocery. 
She says the earliest Presbyter'an church build- 



Presidents of the \"illage (alphabetical order) ; 

the Years in which They Served: — 

Beaumont, A L, 18:i4-5; Blakely, Lamotte M. 
1894; Cramer, G W, 1867-'8, '72; Curtiss, John 
A, 1898-1900; Dorsey, Andrew, 18.33; Dillinbeck. 
Menzo H. 1878; 

Evans, Horace W, 1883; Foster, Reuben A- 
1839; Foster, DeWitt P, 1881; Gavitt, Saxon B, 
1856; Graham, Henry, 1861. 

Harrington, Thompson, 1848; Harrington, 
Amos, 1859-'60; Hotchkiss, Calvin, 1879; Hub- 
bard, Rolland A. 1885; House, William, 1896-'7; 
Hotchkiss. H G, 1901; Jones, Samuel A, 1869; 
Knowles, G W, 1873; Koester, G W. 1893. 

Leach, Jacob, 1831; Leach, Miles S, 1840-1. 
'47; Leach, Heman J, 186.5-'6; Leonard, E G. 
1880; Mirick. Nelson R, 1863-'4; Mirick Milton, 
E. 1884, 95. 

Parshall, D. W, 1849, '51, '54, ■57-"8; Perrine, 




l.'USSfll. I'hot. 



I.YON.S LODGE. NO. 869, B. & P. O. OF E. 



\j<>\\i-r liitw. left to i-i-lit. Williiuii H. Mapc^ William H. E^'an. .lolin B. I'lnh.. Tlia.l.l.-u-^ W. rollins. .jr.. Dr. 
("yril Fulton. Cliarh's A. Xul)U-. ('arl E. S .urs. .laiiifs P. Boyle, Aufjustns E. Biitl. r. S.cdiuI Kow. Fred H. Vu.l/..i-. 
Edward T. Wells. i-Jeorfrc B. (tucker. Frank Mvers, Elmer E. Wolvin. Daniel P. Moran. .lolm Itenezt-. Charles H. Betts. 
Tliird How. Enjrene Whitman, Charlis T. Ennis. .lohn K. Vosteen. .Tolm A. Norton. (Teori;e Kankert. .Tacob K. Christ- 
man. Charles M. Balt/.el. Uiiper Kov . Hirrv D. Smith, Jeremiah Collins. Edward D. B )urne. (hail s H. Blaise. A'b.rt 
E. Marshall. Harvey .T. Shepard. tieoru'e F. Munn. 



ing was on the park and the earliest Methodist 
was on Broad street, south of the present Pres- 
byterian church building. The Methodists 
moved to their present site and the Lutherans 
took their church building. This was after- 
wards used by Deacon Gilbert as a fanning mill 
factory and was burned down. 

"My father, " she said, "was an enthusiastic 
Episcopalian. He was the first Sexton the soci- 
ety had. He was so sympathetic he could not 
stand by at the funerals and see the mourners 
weep so he gave up the job of attending to the 
cemetery. With him anyone and anything 
Episcopalian was all right." 



Wm D, 1855; Patterson, Roger J, 1874; Putnam, 
J W, 1887, '89-'92. 

Remsen, Aaron, 1844, ".53; Rogers, Bartlett R, 
1850; Rogers, James. 1871; Richmond, Van R, 
1875; Rogers, Wm H, 1882; Robinson. J F. 
1902-'3. 

Sisson. W H, 1832, "42, .52; Sanford, Samuel 
S W. 1843; Sherwood, Lvman H, 1845-"6: Seai'le, 
S C. 1870; Shuler, G H. 1876; Smith, Robert, 
1886; Scott, Sevmour, 1888; Sautter, Edward 
1904. 

Taft, Horatio N, 1837-8; Taft, Edward P, 
1862; Tucker, Myron C, 1877; Voorhis, Wm, 
1836. 



"GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



33 




Borrow 



KNEELAND. 



Baptist Church — On June 30, 1880, this 
church was organized with twelve members. 
Rev. S. A. McKay, afterwards president of 
Shortliff College, the first pastor, then a student 
of the Rochester Theological Seminary. Mr. 
McKay had previously preached in the village 
under the supervision of the 
New York Baptist Mission- 
ary Connection for about 
six months. The church soci- 
ety took the property with a 
building that had originally 
been erected for a Baptist 
church but which had not 
been used for several years, 
rebuilt the structure in part, 
fitted it up, and have since 
occupied it. This fall the 
building was torn down and 
a handsome edifice will be 
erected upon the site. 

The first deacons were J. 
D. Goseline and Hugh Jame- 
son, the first trustees G. W. 
Dunning, J. F. Gai'dner, Jas. 
Weller, Wm. Kreutzer, J. D. 
Goseline and Samuel Buell 
and the first clerk Hugh 
Jameson. The Septembei- 
following its organization the 
society was recognized by 
the Wayne Baptist Associa- 
tion. 

Rev. Mr. McKay, who was 
particularly helpful in get- 
ting the church on a good 
foundation and whose pas- 
torate was the longest in its 
history, occupied its pulpit 
seven years. During that 
time Mrs. Amos Harrington 
presented the society with a 
parsonage and made an en- 
dowment of $5,000 for the 
support of its pastors. 



Following Mr. McKay were: — Rev. E. B. 
Smallidge, two years; Rev. Amos Ntylor, four 
years; R. 0. Morse, ordained in this church May 
17. 1894, three years; Rev. R. D. Fish who retired 
from ill health; Rev. F. W. Kneeland, the pres- 
ent pastor, who came July 1, 1902. 

The First Church of the Evangelical Asso- 
ciation.— On the -Dth day of Feb., 1844, the male 
members of the society held a meeting at the 
schoolhouse on Button street and unanimously 
resolved to incorporate themselves as a religious 
society in communion with the Evangelical as- 
sociation; and that the said church and congrega- 
tion be known by name and title as "The First 
Society of the Evangelical Association," of 
Lyons, N. Y. Conrad Young and Philip Althen 
presided at the above meeting. The following 
persons were elected trustees: Louis Schneider, 
Henry Miller, Fred Hamm, Michael Faulstick 
and Philip Althen. At the time of organization 
this society belonged to the Lake Circuit, which 
consisted of numerous appointments, and the 
Revs. William Muenz and Frederick Krecker 
were the circuit preachers. 

On the 13th day of Feb., 1844, the trustees of 
the society bought, of the school trustees of 
Lyons, the school house on Button street and oc- 
cupied the same, for divine worship, seven years. 
On Feb. 12, 1850, the society bought of James 
and Rhode Agott, the corner lot on Spencei and 
Holly streets, and in the same year erected the 
present church edifice, except the steeple and 
entry, which were built about thirty-two years 




)f .John Rooker, Plioto. 

THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH (Lately torn down). 



34 



"GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 




Borrowed Cut. 
REV. s. B. KRAFT.— see sk. p. 33. 

thereafter. From 1844 until 1854 this society 
was connected with Lake Circuit, and was served 
by two pastors. Since that time it was regularly 
supplied with pastors separate from, any other 
charge. 

Quite extensive repairs were made on the 
church and parsonage, at a cost of over $1,400, 
two years ago, and was all paid for the same 

year. 

The society will celebrate its sixtieth anniver- 
sary this year. Until fifteen years ago the 
services were held exclu- 
sively in the German lan- 
guage, and since then the 
services are held in German 
and English alternately. 

The entire list of pastors 
during the past three score 
years is as follows: William 
Muenz, Frederick Krecker, 
L. Jacoby, J. Schaaf, Peter 
A lies, Theobold Schneider, 
W. Oetzel, David Fisher, A. 
Klein, G. Rott, Solomon 
Weber, Theobold Hauch, Au- 
gust Stoebe, Adolph Miller, 
John Greuzebach, Philip 
Miller,Jacob Siegrist Michael 
Lehn, E. Weier, August 
Holzwarth, Adam Schlenk, 
Michael Pfitzinger, J. Freeh, 
Henry Schneider, C. F. 
Schoepflin, C. F. Stube, G. 
H. Gelser, Daniel Miller, 
Philip Spaeth, Jacob Eber- 
ling, Philip E. Bahn and S. 
B. Kraft. 

The officers of the Sunday 
school are: Superintendent, 
George Buish; assistant su- 
perintendent, Adam Martin; 
secretary, August Althen; 
treasurer, William Kaiser. 

The officers of the Ladies' 
Aid Society are: President, 
Mrs. George Oakleaf ; secre- 



tary, Mrs. William Schuler; treasurer, Mrs. Wil- 
liam Espenscheid. 

The officers of the Young People's Alliance 
are: President, William Kaiser; vice-president, 
Daniel Buish; secretary, Miss Laura Buish; 
treasurer, August Althen. Mrs. George Oak- 
leaf is superintendent of the Junior Alliance. 

The trustees are: Adam Martin, president; 
William Lembke, seci-etary; Henry Mai'tin, 
ti'easurer; George Hessinger and William Kaiser. 
The seats are all free and the church is sup- 
ported by voluntary contributions.— Solomon 
B. Kraft. 

Recollections of an Old Brick Maker, who Bound 

Himself Out Rather than to Go to the Poor 

House: — 

Joseph McCall, to-day infirm and hard of hear- 
ing, is closely approaching his 90th year. He 
was born in 1816, as he says, and was bound out 
in May, 1832, (or rather he bound himself out at 
that time, ) until he was twenty-two years of age. 
He says he is the only man in Lyons who was in 
business here as early as himself. This is the 
story of what he can recall in early times as he 
tells it. His memory is not of the best and it is 
difficult for him to collect his thoughts. He has 
been village treasurer for a great many years 
and it is tacitly understood that he is to hold that 
position so long as he lives — as a matter of sen- 
timent with the people in the village who are 
anxious to keep him in public affairs as long as 
the good Lord will permit. 

Here is the way Joseph McCall told the story 
of his early life: — "I came down to Lyons in a 
wagon with my father's family when I was six- 




Bi>rn>\ve(l C'vit. 



THE GERMAN EVANGELICAL CHURCH. 



"GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



35 




Berns. Plioto. 



SENIOR ALLIANCE, EVANGELICAL CHURCH. 



Lower Row, left to rijiht — Rev. S.B.Kraft, Wm. Kai.ser. president. Daniel Buisi-li. vice-president, 
August Althen. Second Row— Laura Bulsch. Mrs. August Altheu. Editli Kern. Martlia Martin. Mar- 
garet Feldmann, Zena Zopfy. Third Row— Anna Shuler. Charles Zopfy, Lena Kern. Clara Buisch, 
Elizabeth Zopfy. Frederick Shalper. Emma Shuler. Fourth Row— Mrs. Wju. Kaiser. Mrs. Alhert 
Trautman. Mrs. Otto Berns. C^eorge Buisch. Mrs. George Oakleaf. Mrs. Wm. Shuler. 



teen years old. This was in May, 1832. We 
drove up to the entrance to the county poor 
house and were about to go in when I jumped 
out of the wagon. My father asked me where I 
was going and I replied that I would never go 
into that place to live; that I would find some 
means of getting my living outside. Then I left 
my father and striking the towpath of the canal 
started afoot for the village of Lyons. As I 
passed along I saw men at work in a brick yard 
across the canal. I retraced my step& to a canal 
bridge, crossed over and was soon among them 



inquiring for the boss. Hs said he had no work ' 
I replied that I would bind myself out to him for 
my board and clothes until I was twenty-two 
years old if he would take me and teach me 
making brick. So it was settled at once and I 
went to work for John Lay ton. 

"Some time in the forties Shively & Vander- 
bilt started a brick yard and when I was about 
twenty-.seven years old I went to work for them. 
I afterwards went in with them and bought the 
brick yard on Montezuma street. By an acci- 
dent Vanderbilt was shot and later the death of 







tg 


m 


m 








WhT 


'"■■li ■ J 



Berns. Plioti 



JUNIOR ALLIANCE, EVANGELICAL CHURCH. 



C'entral Figure- -Mrs. Ofeorge Oakleaf. Lower Row— Willie Grescheau. Mabel Hessinger, Margaret 
Keier. Elmer Westerndorf. Edna Martiii. Helen Althen. Edna Althen. Catharine Hessinger. Carl 
Grescheau, Second Row— Albert Kaiser. Zopfy, Florence Kaiser. Arthur Oakleaf. Fred Mat- 
thews. .John Wagner. Margaret Walter. Third Row— Iiester Martin. Eddie Kern. .\nna Zopfy, Eliza- 
beth Zopfy. Edith Kern. Laura Altlien, Robert Zopfy. 



36 



'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 




Berns. Photo. 



DEUTSCHER ARBEITER VEREIN. 



Lower Row, left to riirht— C. F. Branier. A. P. Ec-kert. H. G. Tanek. Henry Parkman, George H;',<- 
singer. Charles P. Thei.~e. Theodore Schlee. Barney Schneible. Second Row— Theodore Ritter, P. J. 
Stephens. Louis Deuchler. Charles Krughman. Frnd Boehmler. Godfreid Czerney. Henry Aul. Aaam 
Mnrtiu, August Seh.lte. Third Row— Wm F. Fiichs. Ernst Weden, Fred Miller, .Tohn E. Martin. Philip 

W. Graff. • Hartnagel. Fred Boeheiiu. Wm. C. Aul. Fourth Row— Henry L. 

Smith. Jacob Ludy. B. A. Czerney. Wm. Krvighraan. Milto'i F. Gaiisz. Charles W. Criill. Charles Blank. 

(reorge Bremer. Charles Weimer. Albert F. Boehmler. Charles C. Ritter. Borck. Fifth Row— 

. Oscar F. Czerney. Hasseig. George E. Tillotson. Louis Lent, Henry Lent. 

Abraham Zopfy. . Ht>:iry Graff. Edward Graff. Top Row— Louis Ottnod. 

Adam Stell. Wm. L. Voelzer. Shuler. Shuler. 



Shively left me to run the brick yard alone. I 
had no capital and it was hard sledding. I was 
looking pretty blue one day when I met Dr. 
Ashley. In response to his inquiries about busi- 
ness I replied that it was pretty slow: that I had 
no money and no friends who would lend me any. 
He told me to call on him, which I did and ob- 



tained .S50. He wanted no paper. I went out at 
once and paid .$2.5 for twenty-five cords of wood, 
which I ordered to be delivered at the brick yard, 
then I went down there and divided the balance 
of the money with the men, all of whom I owed. 
They worked better after that. Then it became 
better sailing for me and I continued in the brick 




Berns, Photo. 



LADIES AID SOCIETY. EVANGELICAL CHURCH. 



Lower Row. left to right— Mrs. George Greenagle. Mrs. Wm. Sliuler. Mrs. George Oakleaf, Mrs. 
Wm. Espen.scheid, Mrs. Adam Martin. Second Row— Mrs. Schaeffer, Mrs. Lena Kern, Mrs. William 
Althen, Mrs. S. B. Kraft, Mrs. G. Hessinger. Third Row— Mrs. George Dingier, Mrs. Mai-y Kern. Mrs, 
Louis Buiseh. Mrs. Abram Zopfy, Mrs. Amelia Kier. Mrs. Louis Wagner. Fourth Row— Mrs. George 
Bornheimer, Mr-. Albert Traut man. Mrs Fred Bohnt-r, Mrs. Otto Berns. Mrs. Wm. Westendorf. 



"GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



37 




Bt■l■n^. Plioti 



LYONS LODGE OF REBEKAHS. 



Lower B'.w. Ufr to right— Mrs. Giiilfossp. Mts. Diiun. Miss Matthes, Mrs. HardinR. Mrs. Burgess. 
Sectond Row— Miss Ghrtppell. Mrs. Bauer.?, Miss Penright, Mrs.'Scha'ttmer, Miss Oderkirk, Mrs. Coleman, 
Mrs. Sciiibltv. Miss Metz. Mrs. Slater. Top Row— Mrs. Mapes. Mrs. Shuler. Mrs. Penright, Mrs. 
Guenthner, Mrs. SeHmau, Mrs. Stell. Miss Cromwell. 



business until four or five years ag'o. I was the 
longest in business in Lyons of any other man. 
I was one of the first to run a peppermint distil- 
lery. James Elmer, across the river, and Henry 
Teachout were the others engaged in it at the 
same time. 



"According to my earliest recollections John 
Adams was the principal merchant here. Stages 
were then running east on the Montezuma stage 
road. The east end of the village was all woods 
and pasture. There were a few places on Water 
street and some in Joppa. " 




Berns, Plioto. LYONS LODGE, NO. 317, I. O. O. F. 

Lower Row left to right— Hosea Burgess, William (iibbs, Wm, H. Wilbur, Charles Boeheim. C. E. 
Coleman. Second Row -.Toseph Gibbs, Adam Schattner, .Tames Harding, D. «. Palmeter. Third Row 



-Thomas Elmer. Charles Matthes, Ira Guilfoos. 



38 



"GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 




Borrowed 1 

REV. B. W. GOMMENGINGER. 

St, Michael's Catholic Church.— The first 
mas.s in the village of Lyons was celebrated in 
1848 by Rev. Father O'Brien at the house of 
John Gordon. Rev. Father Gilbride celebrated 
mass in the village from 
1851 to 1853. He was suc- 
ceeded by the Rev. Father 
Walsh, who was the first 
resident pastor of St. 
Michael's parish. The fol- 
lowing priests succeeded to 
the pastorate in the order 
named: — Revs. Father Pur- 
cell. John Constance and 
Father Van Ainstadt of the 
Redemptionists' congrega- 
tion, Rochester, N. Y. ; 
Revs. James Leddv, John 
Peter FitzPatrick, William 
McNab, John P. Stewart, 
P. O'Connell and C. M. 
Rimmels. 

Rev. John J. Hickey had 
charge of this and the New- 
ark parishes from Decem- 
ber 28. 1877. until August, 
1888. He was succeeded by 
Rev. D. W. Kavanaugh, 
who remained until August, 
1903, when Rev. Bernard 
W. Gommenginger became 
the pastor and is now in 
charge of the parish. 

In 1850 the house used 
by the German Evan- 
gelical (Methodist) soci- 
ety, which stood on Butter- 
nut street, was purchased 
by the Catholics who wor- 
shipped there until the pres- 
ent handsome edifice, cor- 
ner of Phelps and Holly 
streets, was opened for ser- 
vices. This church was 

edicated by Bishop Mc- 



Quaid July 19, 1891. A substantial start was 
made to collect money for this building by Rev. 
John J. Hickey, their rector, and the work 
was taken up by his successor, Rev. Father 
Daniel W. Kavanaugh, w^ho bought the grounds 
and built the church and the beautiful rectory 
adjoining. The site for both structures were 
purchased at the cost of S9,500. 

St. Michaels is the only church in the diocese 
that enjoys the privileges of the League of the 
Sacred Heart or Apostleship of Prayer, which 
holds devotions the first Friday in every month. 

The Rosary and Scapular Society holds its 
meetings the first Sunday in every month, and 
is the oldest society in this parish. These socie- 
ties partake of spiritual advantages and are 
largely attended by members of the church who 
are members of the societies. 

Lyons in 1852 — General View of the Business 

Places:— 

On the west side of William street at the cor- 
ner of Pearl, in 1852, resided G. Croul. Sisson 
& Chapman's bank stood on the .site of the Bank 
of Wayne. Next north was Forbe's deguerrean 
car. Marshall's lumber yard extending from 
William to Church street enclosed the bank and 
car. Next north on William street was the 
postoffice, a small building now in the rear of 
Getman's block. A few years later Dr. David 
occupied a small building between the car and 




Hnssell. Pilot. 



ST. MICHAEL'S CATHOLIC CHURCH. 



"GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



39 




Courtesy of Clark Mason, Photo. 

THE OLD CATHOLIC CHURCH, BUTTERNUT ST 

postoffice. A long, narrow building' stood north 
■of the postoffice in which were lawyer's offices 
and a bowling alley. It was on the Maj. Satter- 
lee property and stood on the site of a residence 
owned and occupied some years previous by Wm. 
Aggett. Then, continuing north, stood the small 
brick building, the office of Dr. Pierce; then 
there followed the row of residences of Dr. 
Chapman, A. Harrington, Philip Althen, J. 
McElwain, S. Marshall, N. D. Southard and Dr. 
A. D. Teachout; then the Methodist church, cor- 
ner of Queen street. 



A row of small wooden structures oc- 
cupied the east side of William street 
next to Water street. Then going north 
on the same side of the street came 
Earlier & McKeown's furnace and ma- 
chine shop— opposite Pearl street. In 
the center of the vacant lot north of 
that was a small building. Then came 
the Center block, extending east along 
Montezuma street to the canal, where, 
in earlier times, to the north of Monte- 
zuma street, was the packet dock. A 
culvert, or archway, through the lower 
story of the Center block afforded en- 
trance to the rear of the stores in that 
building, those of Braddish & Bourne, 
hardware merchants; H. W. King, dry 
goods, in the corner, and Knowles Bros. 
Originally the rear of Center building 
overlooking the canal was occupied bj) 
the canal collector's office. Underneath, 
on a level with the heel path of the canal, 
were canal groceries, which were reached 
from the street by outside steps. A bal. 
cony led alongthe outside of the second story of 
Center building, affording entrance to Judge 
Sherwood's law office, the Democratic Press and 
Goddard's deguerrean galleiy. 

On the northeast corner of William and Monte- 
zuma streets stood the big three story hotel, 
dating back to 1821, then (in 1852) known as 
Landon's hotel, afterwards the Graham house. 
The names of the landlords appear in the article 
captioned "Early Taverns." This hotel was 
surrounded by balconies and was the favorite 
stopping place for passengers by packet boat and 




Courtesy of Russell, Photo. 

FIRST COMMUNION CLASS, 1904, ST. MICHAEL'S CHURCH. 
Lower Row, from left to riglit— Fenton Mahaney, Frank Barnmaker, Stewart Whitman. James 
Aspel. Jolm Kane. Middle Row— .Tohn Mahaney. Georpre ScMgrist, Cornelius Dwyer. Rev. B. W. Gom- 
luenginger. Gerald Miirphy, . , Vincent Whitman. Upper Row — Joseph Myers, Law- 
rence Knittel, George Prosseiis, .Tames Prosseus, .Joseph Mogenhan. Timothy Dineen. 



40 



'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 




A. D. ADAMS POST, NO. 153, G. A. R. 
Lower Row. left to right— .Joseph Bourne, Frank Seliiuidt, A. C. Brooks, Jonas Gnrnee. Uodfreid 

Czerney, Wm. H. Rooker. Isaac B. Harris. Second Row— f.jnian Ij. Dickerson. . 

Joseph Menanson. Michael Abert. Thomas Noble. David H. Mann. Nicholas B. Ireland. Gilkey. 

Top Row— Simon Hasselbach. Richard Fitzjmtrick. J. Sidney Roys, Fianklyn C. Carr. Dexter E. Buell. 



stage, as well as a resort for young people of 
the village who found the balconies favorite sites 
for observing the arrival of packets. 

On the east side of William street, between 
Montezuma and Canal streets, there were in 
1852 three detached buildings, not to mention 
thfc hotel stables, which stood in the rear of the 
hotel sUghtly to the north and in front of which 
was an open court leading to the street. The 
corner now occupied by the Lyons National Bank 
was then vacant. Now all of William street on 
that side is built up compactly with handsome 
modei-n business structures. A little later than 
the time here written of one of the old buildings 
was occupied by Thompson, the colored barber, 
and a jewelry s^ore, and next to them was a 
meat market. Near the corner was the law 
office of Smith & Cornwell. 

On the northeast corner of William and Canal 
streets, later for years the postoffice corner, 
stood the wagon shop of McElwaine & Richard- 



On the south side of Canal street down to 
Geneva street there were five buildings, all but 
two being detached; and an alley or court led 
from the street through to the packet dock. 
Ireland & Brothers had a general store next west 
of the alley, Wm Hewlett, a fancy bakery next 
to them, and in the buildings further east were 
E. G. Thurston, dry goods, F. S. Kline, jeweler, 
and George R. Rudd, book seller and stationer. 
Then came E. B. Price, grocery and provisions, 
on the corner of Geneva. 

Many of the lawyers in Lyons in those days 
occupied small, detached one-story buildings for 
their offices. East of Geneva street were Remsen 
& Polhamus, hardware, Geo. W. Cramer, dry 
goods and drugs, and John Adams & Son, dry 
goods, in the corner building; Holliday Bros, in 
the adjoining building, groceries and provisions. 

T. & A. Harrington conducted the Lyons stone- 
ware works further east on Canal street. The 
north side of the street was built up pretty much 
as at present. 




Kns.sell, l^hoto. 

CATHOLIC RELIEF AND BENEFIT ASSOCIATION. 
Lower Row left to ri^ht— Mrs. Elizabeth Lewis, Mrs. Eliza Cosschiian, Mrs. Mar;.'ari-t l\<jess 
Margaret Lendtt, Mrs. Mary Murphy. Upper How— Mis. Mar\ A. Durke.-. .\lr>. Helen Dim-. 
Catharine Williams, Mrs. Catharine Collins. 



Mrs. 
Mrs. 



"GRIPS" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



41 




REV. H. C. SCHMIEDER. 

W. L. Belden conducted the Joppa house on 
Geneva street. The engine house on WilHam 
street stood where it does now. 

All of the church societies occupied their present 
locations except the Cathohcs who worshipped 
in the old building which stood on the west side 



of Butternut street next south of the jail, and 
St. John's church, which, if organized, had no 
edifice. 

The Court House and Jail occupied the central 
position in the park. 

Leach's warehouse occupied the southwest 
corner of Leach and Water streets. In the row 
of buildings along the south side of Water street 
east of Leach street were Geoi'ge Cady and J. 
W. Stanton, carriage works, J. Hano, grocery 
and provisions, and H. C. Mead & Co., marble 
factory. 

In a row of wooden structures south of the 
canal lock— on the towpath of the canal— were 
Southard and W. W. Sanford, meat markets, 
and S. Bashfoi-d and Clark Bartlett, groceries. 
It was then a single lock with the slip on the 
south side. Two canal barns— the packet and the 
"Red Line" — stood south of the canal further 
east. The dry dock was on the other side below 
the pottery, near the foot of Holly street. 

Uriah Roraback, grocer, and P. C. Wells, mer- 
chant, were on the southeast corner of Water 
and Broad streets. Others in that block running 
east from Broad, were Knowles & Brothers, 
merchants, H. G. Dickerson and H. Mundy, hats 
and caps. 

The Wayne County Hotel occupied the present 
site of Congress Hall and the corner next east, 
now in ruins, was vacant. Among those doing 
business on the north side of Water street west 
of the hotel as far as Broad street were Philip 
Althen, clothier, Clark & Jones, restaurant, E. 
C. Cosart and James Rogers, boots and shoes, 
and S. H. Klinck, clothier. Stephen Marshall, 




THE COUNCIL, ST. JOHN S LUTHERAN CHURCH. 
H. Felten, .T. Schroeder, H. Kroeger, c;. Praefke. H. Wickniann. H. Aiil. F .Witt. J. Bremer, C. Bernis, H. Henkel. 



42 



'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



boots and shoes, W. D. Perrine, jewelry, and L. 
Griswold, wire cloth weaver, were in business on 
Broad street. 

J. & H. Mirick had flour and saw mills where 
the electi'ic light plant now stands— at the foot 
of the race. H. G. & L. B. Hotchkiss' whole- 
sale peppermint and oil depot was in the check- 
ered front building on Water street. E. P. Tay- 
lor's tannery was on its present site and Joseph 
McCall's brick yards were out on Montezuma 
street. M. Bi'cwnson's furnace and Newell 



of Spencer and Jackson streets with the church, 
parsonage, sheds, etc.) is about $18,000. This 
year (1904) the interior of the chui-ch is being 
improved and decorated at an expense of nearly 
$4,000. 

Although there are no wealthy members to 
this church, the congregation is a very prosper- 
ous one and always progressing. 

The list of the pastors of this chui-ch, with 
their term of service, is as follows: Rev. G. C. 
Manz 1877, Rev. J. P. Schoener 1878-'8.5, Rev. J. 

H. Asbeck 188-5- '89, 



K, 









.,/ 



// 



i-i 



Borrowed Cut. 



Rev. C. Gueldenapfel 
1889--91, Rev. H. H. 
Hartwig 1891-9, Rev. 
H. C. Schmieder 
1899 (present pas- 
tor). 

Two years ago, 
May 14, 1902, the 
congregation cele- 
brated its 2.5th Anni- 
versary and the pres- 
ent pastor published 
an H i s t o ri c a 1 Sou- 
venir Book of the 
Church and Congre- 
gation. The societies 
of the Church are: 
Sunday School Teach- 
ers' Society, Martha 
Society, Young Men's 
Society, Young Peo- 
ple's Society. 

During the winter 
months a German 
Saturday school is 
kept by the pastor, 
giving free instruc- 
tions in German anrl 
religion to the chil- 
dren of the church 
members. 

Assemblymen; Terms 

of Service: — Adams, 
Wm H 1825; Arm- 
strong, Thomas 1827- 
'9; '39; Alsop, Robert 
1836; Arne Jr, David 
1837; Archer, Orson 
1867. 

Boynton, Jonathan 
1827-'9; Bartle, Jas. 
P 1834; Benjamin, 
Elisha 18.35; Black- 
man, Ebsonl838, '41; 
Boyce, Peter 1849: 
Bottum, Edward W 
ST. JOHN S LUTHERAN CHURCH. -^g^-^. gennett, John 

P18.54-'5, '90; Barnes, Thomas 18.56; Bixby, Abel 
J 1860; Burnham, Edwin K 1885; Brinkerhoff, 
G W 1892. 

Chapin, Luther 1830; Coi'ning, Joseph W 1861; 
Collins, Thaddeus W 1863-'5; Clark, Henry M 
1874; Clark, Wm H 1875; Crafts, Albert P 1880. 

Dickson, James 1824; Dickson, John J 1845; 
Durfee, Elias 1846; Durfee, Elihu 1850; Dutton, 
Wm 1852: Durfee, Lemuel 1863-'4; Durfee, 
Henrv R 1871; Davis, Barnet H 1886-'8. 

Eddv, Seth 1830-'l; Estes, Charles 1858. 

Filniore, Luther 1828; Foster, Reuben H 1836; 
Farnum, Amnion S 1884-'5. 




Taft's furnace and machine shops were on the 
west side of Broad street, now the site of the 
Silver Works. S. D. VanWickle's fanning mill 
factory was on Phelps street. 

St. John's German Evangelical Lutheran 

Church— This handsome and commodious church 
was built in the year 1877 by Germans coming 
from Mecklenburg, Germany, and it is the only 
church in Lyons where in services and Sunday 
school the language of the Fatherland is used 
exclusively. The value of the church property 
(consisting of a large beautiful lot at the corner 



'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



43 




Russell. Photo. 

HUMANITY LODGE, NO. 406, F. & A. 



M., MASTERS AND PAST MASTERS. 



L'uver Row, Ipft to right— (reorge Kent. P. M. : Geoi'Re W Ro>rers, J. D. : M E. Miriek, P. M. ; W. 
R. YouiiK. .T. D. ; C. N. rromwell, P. M. Middle Row— A. E. Biirnett. P. M. ; c T. Rnnis. P. M. Upper 
Row— B. A. C/eriiPv. S. M. (-.,• Clyde \V. Knapp, S. W. : Cliarles P. Williams. W. M. : C. W. Beach. J. 
W.; R. W. Ashley. Seo'v. 



Graves, Henry K 1859; Glenn, E McKinney 
1868-'9; Gurnee, Emory W 1874, '76; Gates, 
Addison W 1881; Greenwood, Wm E 1882; Groat, 
R P 1889-'91; Greenwood, M I 1898-'9; Griffith, 
Fred W 1900- '2. 

Hall, Ambrose 1826; Humeston, James 1832-'3 
Holley, John M 1838, '41; Hyde, Harlow 1856 
Hall.' Amasa 1870; Hotchkiss, Lsman 1883 
Hough, John E 1893; Horton, G S 1894-'7. 

Johnson, Thomas 1857; Kip, John L 1826; 
Knapp, Alanson M 1845. 

Lapham, John 184S; Leavenworth. Isaac 1849; 
Laing, John A 1859; L'Amoreaux, Jabez S 1861. 

Morse, Enoch 1825; Morley, Horace 1840; 
Moore, Samuel 1847; Miller. James M 1878; 
Munson, John A 1879. 



Norris, Elliott B 1891; Osband, Durfee 1840; 
Pettit, Elisha 1848; Peacock, Joseph 1857; Pryne, 
Abram 1862; Parshall, DeWitt 186S; Pierson, 
Silas S 1884. 

Roe, Austin 1844; Rogers, Wm. H 1865-'7; 
Russell, Allen S 1875-'6; Robinson, Rowland 1881. 

Salisbury, Ambrose 1832-'3, '39; Strong, The- 
ron R 1842; Sheffield, Frederick U 1843; Sours, 
Philip 1843; Sanford, Isaac R 1844; Southard, 
Israel R 1847; Streeter, Benj H 1853; Sentell, 
Edward W 1858; Servis, James M 1860; Sherman, 
Jeff ?rson 1879-'80; Saxton, Charles T 1887-'9; 
Smith, Addison P 1903-'5. 

Tucker, Pomeroy 1837; Thomas, Eron N 1862; 
Thornton, Merritt 1869; Tnistlethwaite, Jere- 
miah 1877. 




Rev. H. C. Sehraeider, Photo. 

YOUNG MEN'S SOCIETY, ST. JOHN'S CHURCH. 
Top Row. from left to right— Fred Voelzer, H. Felton, A. Sclireiber, C. Lembke. H. Witt. E. Baia- 
maiii). Ne-xt Row— Rev. H. C. S'-hniieder, C. Chaeding, F. Krueger, jr.. H. Raymcr. ^enry Krueger, F. 
Kriieger sr E. Weden. W. L. Voelzer. .T. Moevhase. A. GiLsfschow. W. Lotz. Third Row— C. Witt, E. 
Uustschow. C Bavies. W. Berns, H. Knisemerk. H. Schuldt, Phil Borck, C. Brandt, H. Sehuett. H. 
Sehaeding. J. Fresemann. W. Schade, H. Borck. Lower Row. L. Hol>z. J. Hobz, W. Barkholdt. H. 
Schuett. C. Holz. W. Lendt. H. Wickmann. C' Klage, C. Praefke. 



44 



'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 




rvU-SHll,Pl:oto. 

THADDEUS \V. 



COLLINS 



Vandenburg, John 1866; Valentine. Jackson 
1877-'8. 

Whipple, Russell 1824, '34; Wells, Annanias 
1831; Wylie, Wm. D 1835; Wilson, James M 
1842, '50; Wisner, James T 1846, '55; Whitcomb, 
Loammi 1853; Wade, Willis G 1854; Wood, Anson 
S 1870-'l; Wells, Edward B 1872-'3; Weed, 
Oscar 1832-'3; Wood, William 1886; Whitcomb, 
Flynn 1892. 

Yeomins, Theron G 1851-'2; Yeomans, Lucien 
T 1872-'3. 

Thaddeus W. Collins, like J. VV. Van Etten. 
is one of the oldest of the practicing attorneys 
still in active professional service in Lyons; and 
is also one of the survivors of the old school of 
state politics, for 
Mr. Collins with a 
long political ac- 
tivity in the coun- 
ty and a short but 
widely distin- 
guishing service 
in the legislature, 
is really a well 
known figure 
bringing to the 
minds of those 
who best know 
him a career full 
of aggressive po- 
litical work, a cam- 
paign speaker 
who even at his 
present age is a 
force recognized 
by his party, but 
who stumped the 
county for Lincoln 
in a manner that 
attracted the state 
leaders to him. 
He was also close 
to Gov. Fen ton 



and men of the same school, nearly all of whom 
have passed from this life. A very few of them 
better known than Mr. Collins are still living. 
At one time he came very close to being speaker 
of the state assembly. In the caucus he was de- 
feated by only a few votes. His name was pre- 
sented to the convention for Congress in 186S 
and after a prolonged session in whicn several 
votes were taken he retired in favor of his op- 
ponent. 

Mr. Collins was born in Rose, Wayne Co., 
April 15, 1830. It was there his father. Stephen, 
was born. His grandfather, Thaddeus Collins, 
came to Rose from Phelps about 1810. He came 
from Vermont to Phelps in 1800. The subject of 
this sketch from the district school at Rose 
went to the Union school at Lyons and then to 
the Genesee college (now Syracuse University), 
where he was graduated in 1855. In 1857 he was 
a student at the Albany law school, and was ad- 
mitted to practice prior to his graduation. Then 
it was that he began practice at Wolcott and re- 
mained thei-e until he entered upon the duties of 
county clerk to which post he was elected in 
1866, when he moved to Lyons and has resided 
there since. He has served very largely the 
public in positions of trust. At the time the 
present Union school building was erected he 
was a member of the school Board. Before 
moving to Lyons he filled many responsible posi- 
tions: supervisor of Wolcott. a Republican- 
elected in a Democratic town in 1860; member 
of the State Assembly in 1863, '4 and '5, and the 
latter year chairman of the Ways and Means 
committee which is the post of leadership in 
that body given to the man who represents the 
absolutely controlling power of the Assembly. 
In 1879 Mr. Collins was elected County Judge 
and Surrogate and filled that position six years. 
He was elected Supei'visor for Lyons on a union 
ticket in 1897. In legal work he has been con- 
cerned with many important cases and was con- 
nected with litiigation growing out of the bond- 
ing of the towns in Wayne county for railroads. 
He owns several fai^ms in the county, in which 
he is deeply interested at this time. 




KusseU, Phnti.. 



T. W. COLLINS RESIDENCE. 



"GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



45 



Wayne County in IS26; Pen Pictures of the 

Several Towns: — 

The following interesting description of the 
towns in Wayne county was published in the Al- 
bany Argus of August 9, 1826: — 

"Macedon, although small, is a good town 
embracing excellent farms and a number of re- 
spectable inhabitants." 

"Ontario is a first I'ate town. Tho only objec- 
tion to it is a scarcity of large and durable 
streams." 

"Palmyra is a wealthy and popular town." 

"Williamson is probably equal to Ontario in 
wealth, as it is superior in population." 

"Arcadia * * a wealthy and I'espectable town." 

"Lyons — Its population is pretty dense, 
averaging one person to eight aci'es nearly of 



turely. In less than ten years it will be difficult 
to find a town greater value than the old town- 
ship of Galen." 

"Wolcott — Its contiguity to the great naviga- 
ble highway to market at New York and Mon- 
treal presents attractions to emigrants and 
affords encouragement to settlers." 

Lyons in 1821 — A Glimpse of the Village Through 

Newspaper Columns:— 

Vol. 1, No. 1, of the Lyons Republican, a five 
column quarto publication, dated Aug. 3, 1821, 
and published by George Lewis in "the new brick 
store on the bank of the canal," contains many 
interesting historical facts. 

Maj. Gen. Andrew Jackson, under date of 
Penascola, June 25, 1821, issues his proclamation 




Beriis, Photc 



CAMP LYONS, NO. 9233, MODERN WOODMEN OF AMERICA. 



Lower Row. left to riglit— Charles H. Betts. Henry B. Leaeh, Harvey J. Shepard, Philip L. Martin, 
Luther S. Lake. StaudliiK— Fred G. Creager. Jacob Metz, 'id. Henry G. Joel, Ashley E. Tournay. Fred 
E. Voelz.er, Albert F. Althen. Third Row— Ohester A. Wilbe-. Wilhelm Krusemark Edwin C. Kriess, 
Wiu. X. Troke. John W. Joel. Albert Holstead, Fourtli Row— Charles Henkel, Henry Greennagel, 
John K. Vosteen. Dr. F. M. Sisson. Dr. Raymond R. Till"tson. Wni. F. Boehmler, Thomas J. Hart. 
Piftli Row— Thomas Helper, Wm. D. Norton, Henry Becker. Sixth Row — Charles T. Mierke. George 
Eekert. Frank Barnmaker. A. B. CJoon. A. F. Andler. Hosa Burgess. Top Row— Edward Myers, Leon 
G. Leach. Edward F. Stell, Albert H. Goetzman. 



territory. Lyons village is built on handsome 
dry ground rising by gentle acclivity to the west 
and north from the canal, and is flanked by a ro- 
mantic ridge. ' ' 

"Sodus has suffei'ed in public estimation by 
the poverty and thriftlessness of its early set- 
tlers, who were too often tempted to neglect 
their farms for the pui'pose of fishing and hunt- 
ing. The character of the inhabitants has 
changed and is still changing for the better. 
There can be no doubt that this town will become 
one of the most flourishing in the county." 

"Galen and Savannah were separated prema- 



as "Captain General and Intendent of the Island 
of Cuba" announcing that his control as gov- 
ernor "over said provinces of Spain by authority 
of the treaty with the United States govern- 
ment, dated Feb. 23, 1819, ceceding the provinces 
of Florida," is at an end. The foreign news, 
dated London, June 10, 1821, announces the cor- 
onation of the British King for July 19, and an 
Edinborough dispatch describes an invention for 
"walking on the water." 

The "local columns" consist of two brief 
items, one with reference to the progress of the 
work on the "grand canal," (the Erie) and the 



46 



'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 




Boiruw.-d I'liMtd. 

MYRON E. CARMER, M. D. 

other giving a description of the beauty of the 
scenery about Lyons, copied from the "Reposi- 
tory. ' ' 

There is a proclamation by Gov. CUnton offer- 
ing the reward of $250 for the discovery of the 
person who attempted the murder of John Mould 
of Montgomery, County of the Oranges," and 
the reward of $100 for the discovery of the indi- 
vidual who set John Mould's barn on fire. 

The editor's "Salutary" apologizes for delay 
in starting the paper and declares that "political 
matter will not be allowed in this paper." 

The advertisers 
in this issue of the 
paper are Webster 
& Stiles, hats and 
furs ; F r i s b i e & 
P-ierrepont, de- 
mand for settle- 
ment of claims due 
them; T. Martin, 
"tailor and habit 
maker, one door 
east of Samuel 
Hecox's store." 

The Republican 
was moved from 
Ovid, Seneca coun- 
ty, where the first 
issue a p p e a r e d 
Feb. 2, 1820. 



First Cloth 
Dressing in Ly- 
ons— Dorsey & 
Barney establish- 
ed a carding and 
cloth dressing 
works, the first 
in town, in the 
year 1817. 



Dr. Myron E. Carmer has practiced his pi'o- 
fession in Lyons about seventeen years and 
to-day is one of the best known physicians in 
the county. His very pleasant residence over- 
looks the public park from the north. It is a 
large and well built edifice standing in the shad- 
ows of stalwart trees which give it from the park 
a colonial appearance. The doctor purchased the 
site and erected the house. 

Dr. Carmer was born in Dryden, Tompkins 
Co., in 1855 and it was there he obtained his eai-- 
liest schooling, after which he prepai-ed foi' col- 
lege at Brockport, N. Y., then went to Hamil- 
ton College and was graduated in 1880. 1 he 
Carmers wei'e an old family in Tompkins county, 
of Holland descent, who settled in that part of 
the state prior to the revolution. The line of 
ancestry begins in this country several genera- 
tions past with Israel who lived to be 102 yeai's 
old, and who was a soldier in the revolutionary 
war. 

While Dr. Carmer was attending college he 
became acquainted with Anna, the daughter of 
James B. Sykes, who was the editor of a Clin- 
ton, N. Y.. paper, and in 1879 the two were mar- 
ried. Four children constitute their family, 
James, a graduate of Hamilton who is in busi- 
ness jn Fairport, N. Y., and three children who 
are living at home, Sarah, Rachel and John. 

Prior to entering upon the practice of the pro- 
fession he had chosen Dr. Carmer taught school, 
among other places at Newport, N. Y., and was 
for five years principal of the old and distin- 
gnished academy at Cincinnatus, Cortland Co., 
N. Y., which in its time ranked among the best 
of educational institutions. 

Dr. Carmer took the degree in medicine at the 
University of Vermont, Burlington Vt., in 1885. 
His first practice was at Pittsburg, Pa., where 
for about two years he was associated with Dr. 
J. W. Sykes, and from which place he came to 
Lyons. Dr. Carmer occupies the position of 
county physician. He is an active member of 
the Presbyterian church. 




Husscll, Photo 



DR. M. E. CARMER S RESIDENCE. 



'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



47 




Berii.s, Photo, 



BUSY HIVE, NO. 39, LADIES OF THE MACCABEES. 



Lower Row. left to rii;lit — Mrs Temperance .Johnson, Mrs. Emily Cxurnee, Mrs. Margaret A. Stevens, 
Mrs. Hartie Altlien, Mrs. Bmnm E. Compson. Second Row— Mrs Lucy .T. Wilber. Mi-s. Mina A. Cole- 
man, Mrs. .Teume Newkiik. Mrs. Anna L. Scotney, Mrs. HatticWyckoff, Mrs. Ella M Beadle. Mrs. Mary 
A. Harrint-'ton. Third Row— Mrs. Lena 0<'h. Mrs. Eva Witt, Mrs. Saloma Cxarvey. Mrs. Martha Sher- 
man. Mrs. EnjniM I. Sissoii. Mrs. Elizalieth Gilkey. Fourth Row— Mrs. Jennie Harding, Mrs. Saloma D. 
Hermans, Mrs. Xettie Mil's. Mrs. Ina Rvnearson. 



The Joppa Land Company— The eastern part of 
Lyons village, including Canal and tributary 
streets, is now and has been for years locally 
termed Joppa, which the present "oldest inhabi- 
tants" say they are unable to explain. 

The fact is, that all of that section including 
Canal, Geneva, Lawrence, Holly, Phelps, Cath- 



arine and Spencer streets, as far north as -Jaci-:- 
son street, was the Joppa Land Company's pur- 
chase and survey. 

This company, consisting of Myron Holh, 
Wm. H. Adams and Augustin H. Lawrence, was 
oi'ganized for the purpose of speculating in vil- 
lage real estate— opening lands to prospective 




Russell, Plioto. 



WAYNE TENT, NO. 108, K. O. T. M. 



Lower Row. left to right, Frank Heideurich, C. C. Ritrer, V. D. Thompson, C. J. Hattler, A. E. 
Sueher, E. D. Washburn, H. C. Majewskv, A. Zopfy. Second Row, W. Li. Bauer, W. H. Wilbur, C. W. 
Thompson, E. .T. Klippel, M. F. Ganz, George Brewer, Ira Guilt'oos, J. H. Young, Fred Bremer, D. C. 
Pvitnam. Third Kow. Peter Mintel. J. B. Bruso, C. P. Tlieisc, C. A. Noble, Wm. Krugman, W. F. Flichs, 
H M. Sueher. W. C. Aul. A. H. Boehmler, Jacob Rohr, iTeortrc B. Klippel. Fourth Row. C. A. Heiden- 
reich. W. H. Hassig. J. W. Wolfe. D. G. Parn^eter, A. F. TuUtt. J. S. Weeks, A. W. Johnson, Karl 
Klage, Charles Boeheim. Upper Row, E. M. Oswaldt, J. P. Bo\-lc. W. S. Barclay, W. ri. Chappell, J. A. 
Heidenreich. W. H- Matthes. W. L. Voelzer, F. E. Tyler. A. B. Coon, C. E. Lake, H. J. T. Tanck, W. G. 
Carpenter. 



48 



'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



bnyers, in anticipation of a great demand re- 
sulting from the construction of the Erie canal. 
As soon as the company had assured itself that 
the canal was a certainty it bought the John 
Riggs farm, which lay along the east line of 
William street, and in Octoder, 1821, had it sur- 
veyed and platted, laying out and naming the 
streets, among others Holly, Lawrence and 
William streets, after the members of the com- 
pany. Mr. Adams chose to be honored by the 
use of his given name, William. The survey was 
made by David H. Vance. 

The Joppa Land Company started the business 
growth of the town east along Canal street by 
erecting one or two business blocks on that thor- 
oughfare, and gave William street an impetus 
by converting the Riggs farm house [See "Early 
Taverns"] into a public house. When the canal 
was completed the Joppa Company got the packet 
dock located near its hotel, just in the rear. 



stable, Calvin D. Palmeter. Treasurer, Eli 
Johnson. 

The Board of Trustees organized by electing 
Zalomon Rice president and Daniel Chapman 
clerk. 

On April 17, 18-54, by an act of the Legislature 
the village of Lyons was re-incorporated. On 
May 8, 18-54, the first election under the new 
charter was held, resulting as follows: — Presi- 
dent, D. W. Parshall; trustees, Aaron Remsen, 
Miles S. Leach, Stephen S. Herrick, John T. 
Denniston and Wm. H. Sisson; treasurer, Philip 
Althen; clerk. John H. Spencer; constable, Syl- 
vester Wilder; collector, Mai'cellus J. Goddard; 
assessors, John Lawton, John M. Pickett and 
Hernando C. Mead. 

The first step taken towards the first incor- 
poration of the village was a published call for 
the meeting of citizens for Saturday, Jan. 12_ 
1828, at Wi-ight's hotel, signed "Many Citizens. '• 




B.-niN. I'liott 



CANNONCHET TRIBE, NO. 184, RED MEN. 



Sitting Down, left to rijflit— E. D. Baik-v. I.. S. Lakf. V. H. Matthes. Bnrtoii Allee, Patrick PoIIt, W. H. Akenhoa- ' 
W. C. Aul, Louis Leiidt First How, Sraiidiiit;-.Tolin Hooker, C. P. Miller, A. P. E<-Uerr. (', V. Braiult. Martin Yonii-. 
G. P. Matthes.H. W. Wickman. K. M. Sclmtz. liouis Heiirv. W. L. House. Seeond Kow, tieor^e Rank- rt. Charles Boc 
heim. Thomas Heifer, Louis Mierke. E. L. Ya-ckle. (". S. Dunn. W. (|. Pierce, A. K Althen. P. W. (iraflf. Dr F. H. 
McOnil)er. Third Row. B. A. C/ernv, E. K. Barrus, Wni. Cooper. C. M. Balt/el, .T. K Vosteen. C. A. Noble. F. (4. Boe 
heim, .T. W. VanDusen. Fourth Row, D. G. Creezer. Frank Mvers, H. .T. Du)in. E. -T. Klippel. F'ed Stol/. Otto A. Berns. 
(ieo. C. Ahreiis, ,Tohn H. YouJis;. Edwaul T. Wells, Tliaddeus Collins, .jr. Upper Row. W. X. M\ er«. Win. Witt. PJiiliji 
H. Martin, Levy A. Vanderbilt, A. T. Robinson. I^ouis Ottnoclt. Louis D. Miller. Harry D. Warren, Fred J. Reule. 

This made William street the desirable business 
location, and from that time it began as a busi- 
ness street. 

Lyons; Its Incorporation. —The articles of the 
incorporation of the village of Lyons were signed 
by Gov. Enos T. Throop April 16, 1831. On the 
first day of May following the "freeholders and 
inhabitants" entitled to vote assembled at the 
Lyons Hotel and elected the following village 
officers: Trustees, Zalomon Rice, William H. 
Sisson, Jacob Leach, William H. Adams, and 
John Adams. Assessors, John M. Holly, William 
Voorhis and Andrew Dorsey. Collector and Con- 



Earliest Merchants — As has been stated 
elsewhere Judge Dorsey opened the first store in 
Lyons. Jacob Leach built a frame building on 
Water street in 1812 and opened a larger general 
store. Joseph M. Demmon was first his clerk 
and then his partner. 

In 1814 Leach & Co. erected a new store. 
Two years later Stephen M. Palmer opened a 
store on the northeast corner of Broad and 
Church streets. 

Cyrus Hecox in 1818 opened a store on the 
corner of Broad and Water streets. About the 
same time Giles Jackson erected a brick struc- 
ture on the southwest corner and carried on a 



"GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



49 




BDITDWt'd PIlKt'l. 

MYRON CHARLES TUCKER. 

general merchandise business. Then came Sam- 
uel Hecox who began business farther up on 
Broad street. The old Cyrus Hecox site was 
in 1822 occupied by Eli Blair. 

Messrs. Smith & Northrup built a store on the 
northwest corner of Broad and Water streets. 

In 1822 a brick store was erected by the Joppa 



Land Company on the north side of Canal street. 
Then the same company, which carried on the 
store, erected a brick building across the street. 
La Salle, a Frenchman, conducted a jewelry 
store on the east side of Broad street in 1821. 
where W. D. Perrine as late as 1837 was in the 
same business. 

Myron Charles Tucker was best known 
throughout Wayne county because of his sev- 
eral years' connection with the Lyons National 
Bank ; and he was regarded not only as a faith- 
ful and well informed bank employe but as a 
shrewd business man. He was born in Marion, 
Wayne Co., N. Y., October 12, 1837. His father 
was the well known Dr. Charles B. Tucker, late 
of Auburn, N. Y. Myron Tucker on coming to 
Lyons in 1856 entered the employ of George C. 
Strang as a clerk and he occupied a clerkship in 
that store for ten years. In Jan. 1866 he en- 
tered the Lyons National Bank as bookkeeper 
and was in faithful service for that institution 
until his death, March 22, 1891. occupying the 
position of cashier all of that time except the 
first year. He was a member of the Mr.sonic 
order and had served as village president and 
school trustee. He married Cecelia Buckemeer 
of Lyons in 1881. They have one daughter, 
Emma F. Tucker. 

Penn's Descendants. — The only surviving 
lineal de.scendants of Wm. Penn, the founder of 
the Pennsylvania colonies, in this section of the 
state, so far as is known, ai-e Mr. William and 
Miss Catharine Crawford, brother and sister, 
now living in Lyons. 




Russell, Pilot. 



W. p. MIRICK GROCERY COMPANY. 



50 



"GRIPS" HISTORICAL .-< jUVENIK OF LYONS. 




Rnssrll. I'hol.i. 

A. E. MARSHALL. 

Marshall 8( Noble's business is pi-obably thf 
oldtst hardware house in the county; certainly 
the oldest in Lyons. It is also to-day what it 
was in the beginning, one of the leading houses 
in that line in the county. It was established in 
1824 by Samuel Hecox, Dr. A. L. Beaumont and 
H. N. Stafford, whose three names appeared in 
the firm name in the order mentioned. They 
were succeeJ^d in 1835 by Aaron Remsen and P. 
Bradish, the latter retiring in 184(1 and the firm 
then being Remsen & Polhamus. 

For a year Remsen & Polhamus carried on the 
l)usiness in the old Centre Building and Bourne 
& Bradish conducted a 
hardware store in the 
old place (now Mar- 
shall & Noble's). Then 
Remsen & Polhamus 
dissolved partnership 
and the former came 
back to the original 
location where he con- 
d u c t e d the business 
alone until after the 
war. when he received 
as a partner his son- 
in-law. Samuel C. Red- 
grave. After Mr. Rem- 
sen's death Mr. Red- 
grave was sole proprie- 
tor- until his death, in 
1901. Then followed 
A. E. Marshall & Co. 
with whom on Feb. 1. 
190o, became associ- 
ated Charles A. Noble 
under the name of the 
present fii"m. The bus- 
iness occupies five 
fioors of double stores 
a n d c o m p r- i s e s the 
hardware and kindred 
trade, including {)lumb- 
ing and farm machin- 
e r \' . Ten m e n a r e 




■U. I'huru. 

CHARLES A. NOBLE. 

employed the year around — jiart of the time four- 
teen or fifteen hands. 

A. E. Mai'shall was born in Cazenovia Aug. 4, 
18T2, where he was first engaged in business. 
He came to Lyons from Cazenovia in Feb. 1901, 
to go into business here. He married Lillian 
Blair of Erieville September 2. 189(i, and they 
have one son, Howai'd. Mr. Marshall is a Mason, 
a Maccabee and a Member of the Elks. 

Charles A. Noble was born in Lyons and at- 
tended school in this village. He first learned 
the trade of printer, in the Sentinel office and 
afterwai-ds worked on the Republican. In 188&, 




i;u:-.-n. I'li.-t. 



MARSHALL & NOHLE'S HARDWARE STORE. 



'GRIP'S HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



51 




K)l-s.-ll. P\><jU 



CHARLES A. NOBLE'S RESIDENCE. 



in company with E. P. Boyle, he purchased the 
Sentinel but sold out at the end of the year and 
bought a half interest in the hardware business 
with J. C. Myers. Six years later Myers sold 
out to George Tromer and the firm was then 
Noble & Tromer, the business being located at 
Water and Broad streets. In Jan. 1898. W. T. 
Hartinan went in company with C. A. Noble and 
five years later bought him out. Mr. Noble 
married Amelia M. Breisch of Lyons in 1888 and 
they have two girls and a boy. Mr. Noble 
breaks the usual record in fraternityship, being 
a member of the Masons, the Maccabees, the 
Red Men, the Haymakeis, the Odd Fellows, 
Hose Company No. 1, Newark Chapter No. 117, 



F. and A. M., and Zenobia Commandery, No. 41, 
K. T. He is a Republican and has held the posi- 
tion of town clerk. 
Land War Waged in Wayne County Early in 

Its History; Defence Fund and Boycotts the 

Weapons Enraged Farmers Were to Use 

Against Foreign Landlords. 

It is not generally remembered that Wayne 
county was in the early thirties of the last cen- 
tury engaged in a local land war, owing to the 
relations between sevei-al farmers and the Pult- 
ney estate, of which they had purchased their 
farms. The Pultneys, who weie not residents 




JivLSsell. Photo. 



THE LATE J. C. MYERS' HOMESTEAD. 



52 



"GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



of the United States, had a patent for several 
thousands of acres in Wayne and adjacent coun- 
ties. 

To evade the law prohibitin^f foreigners hold- 
ing large domains and secure the patent it was 
taken in the name of Charles Williamson, who 
claimed to be a citizen of this country. After- 
wards he was succeeded by Charles Troup who 
opened an office at Geneva, and there the many 
farmers, whose titles came from the Pultneys, 
were compelled to go at stated periods and pay 
rents. 

This naturally led to a rebellion against such 
an exaction and for some years the newspapers 
published complaints against it. 

INDIGNATION MEETING. 

On August 28, I80O, several farmers met at 
Hutchins' coffee house, Newark, to consider 
what should be done. They issued a call for a 
convention to be held at the Court House, Lvons, 



In a season of severe pressure arising from 
forced collections the agents, sub-agents and 
clerks by purchasing notes and other securities 
for money at a heavy discount are enabled to 
render a great proportion of our most industri- 
ous and enterprising citizens, tributary to a spir- 
it of insatiable avarice, destructive to all fair 
and honorable business, injurious to the com- 
munity and disgraceful in the extreme to the 
reputation of the agency." It was recommend- 
ed by the meeting that the matter ought to be 
brought to the attention of grand juries. 

BOYCOTT WAS DECLARED. 

It was further declared that any attempt on 
the part of the agency to remove the settlers 
should be resisted by all lawful means, and that 
if any person attempted to settle on lands from 
which a "farmer settler" had been ejected the 
rest of the settlers and occupants would "have 
no intercourse with him and will treat him as an 




in-issell, Pliot( 



VERY PRETTY STREET VIEWS. 



Pearl st.. \\ fst from William st. 

Maple St . looking nortii from .Jackson st. 

September 23, 183U, at which the towns should 
be represented by seven delegates each. It was 
farther declared that unscrupulous sub-agents of 
the Pultneys were practicing usury upon the 
Pultney tenants when the latter were unable to 
pay their rents on time. 

The meeting passed re.solutions to be sent to 
Charles Troup which set forth that "the agency 
of the Pultney estate ought to be confided to 
honorable men with sufficient salaries to com- 
pensate them, without their resorting to shav- 
ing speculations or usury of any description," 
and that, "considering the immense debt due to 
the proprietoi's, foi-ced collections would bring- 
about a dearth of money in the county." 

PRACTICAL USURY. 
The real cause of the trouble was expressed 
in the following part of the resolutions: " * * 



Holly St. lawns, northwest corner of Canal st. 
Hpencer St.. between Holly and Jackson sts. 

enemy;" also that "injury and oppression to one 
should be deemed an insult and injury to the 
whole. " 

The convention met September 23 attended 
by delegates from Arcadia, Lyons, Port Bay, 
Ro.se, Wolcott, Williamson and Galen, "for the 
pui'pose of oi'ganizing and acting in concert in 
whatever measures may be adopted for the re- 
lief of the settlers." 

The conventiou recommended: Fii-st. that the 
settlers withhold payment until after another 
convention; second, the towns to hold meetings 
and hear grievances; third, the town meetings 
to raise a defense fund. 

That not a great deal was accomplished by 
these meetings is evident. Newspapers pub- 
lished communications on the subject and the 
whole county was wi'ought up to fever heat. 



"GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



53 




Russell. Photo. 



STEPHEN REALS RESIDENCE. 



It appeared that the vital causes for com- 
plaint were: the tenants were subjects of for- 
eign landowners; the right claimed by the own- 
ers when interest was not paid to compound it; 
the high price of land ; the form of the contract 
imposing severe and rigid terms on the tenant, 
rendering it impossible for him to fulfil the en- 
gagement; nominally a sale and substantially a 
lease; the contracts were similar to the notori- 
ous contracts made in Ireland. 



One case was cited where a tenant, less than 
six miles from Lyons, after his payments had 
amounted to $600 scraped up $400, expecting to 
get a receipt in full. Upon arriving at Geneva 
he found that he lacked ten dollars of what it 
was claimed he should pay and the agents re- 
fused to receive the money he had, and he was 
sold out. 

All that immediately resulted was a stern and 
emphatic reply from Charles Troup, although 




Fd'oia a Kiidalc Print. 



RESIDENCE OF THE LATE .1. G. VAN WICKLE. 



54 



"GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 




THE FIRST UNION SCHCKJL BUILDING 

finally this un-American condition of affairs was 
corrected in this county as it was in other coun- 
ties. Mr. Troup's reply set forth that the reso- 
lutions were slanderous; that the meeting of the 
farmers was most largely composed of jtersons 
who were not concei'ned with the agency; that 
the settlei's b(HJght the lands at the current 
prices in the county; that the agitation was due 
to excitement then i-ife in Allegany and Steu- 
ben counties; an 1 that whenever individual cases 
for relief had be^n presented at the land office 
every reasonable and e{]uital)le relief had been 
granted. 



Rival Packets In 1823; 

An "opposition" line of 
packets bejjcun running dai- 
ly on the canal between 
Utica and Rochester in 
September, 1823. known as 
the Western Passage Boat 
('omj)any. A boat left 
Utica and Rochester every 
evening, making the dis- 
tance in about forty-tive 
hours. There were five 
packets. The Van Rens- 
selaei-. The Governor 
Yates, The Utica. The 
Rochestei' and The Ohio. 
Each boat had ladies' and 
gentlemen's cabins (28 feet 
long) and sleeping accom- 
modations ^berth s with 
canvas bottoms. The 
fare was four cents a mile. 
At LTtica passengers had to change to boats and 
stages going ea.st. 

The original line of packets was known as the 
Erie Canal Navigation Company, which began 
carrying mail in the fall of 1823. The names of 
the packets on this line were Montezuma, Onei- 
da Chief, Myron Holly, Wm. C. Bouck, Henry 
Seymour. David S. Bates, ChancelK r Kent and 
Benjamin Wright. 

A bitter rivalry sprang up between the "old" 
and "new" lines, giving expre.ssi<»n to charges 
of delays and inconveniences thi-ough the col- 
umns of the local papers. 




BOUKNK S VAKIKTY .STUKE. 



W. E. BOU {NK .^ RESIDENCE. 



"GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



55 




Russtl', PI oto. 



COURT LYONS, NO. 366, F. OF A. 



Lower row. left t.. ri^'lit— TaiMu r S. Lake, Fin. See. : H. G. -loeL P. C. K. : Burton Allee. V. R. ; P. L. 
Martin. S. i'. R. : W. W. Hall. Treas. Se.-ond Row, L. C. Hosford. L : Victor VenislieL .T. B : .J. W. 
Brinklow. S. B. : J H. Travell, S. W. : A. B. Coou, T. : Charles Weimer, T. Third Rov. F. W. D. Martin. 
John Bene'/.e. W. •). Tlioiupson. G. C Ahrens, D. G. Palmeter, .T. W. .Toel. Upper Row, Conrad Myers, 
Antoiie Cj'cnil, Joseph B .wraan. A. O. Travell, J. G. Gutgesell, Hosa Bnrgess. 



John A. Blackburn for several years was a 
manufacturer of fanning mills in Lyons on a 
large scale. Operating extensively in the South, 
he placed orders amounting to thousands of dol- 
lars, making the several parts of the mill here 
for shipment, putting them up in the market he 
had selected (Baltimore and other places) and 
there disposing of them. 

Mr. Blackburn was born in Iredell county, N. 
(\, Oct. 14, 1828-before the .;tate was laid 
out in townships. His birthplace was near Hous- 
tonville postoffice, his father being a planter. 
Mr. Blackburn began trading in early life, going 
to South Carolina and Georgia to trade. In 18.51 
he moved to Virginia where for four vears he 
was in the hardware business at Hillsville, Car- 
roll county. Starting west in 1855 with H. C. 
Robert, who induced him to come by the way of 
Lyons, Mr. Blackburn located here and soon 
after bought out the fanning mill factory and 



site of Stephen D. VanWickle, which wei'e then 
north of the present Chester G. Blaine residence 
on the east side of Phelps street. Here he made 
300 to 400 mills a year which he sold in the South. 
In 1864 he sold out the VanWickle property and 
for the next two years was engaged in the gro- 
cery and lumber business at Miller Fai'm, Pa. 
Then he returned to Lyons and sold machinery 
until Jan. 1902, when he retired from active 
business life. 

During fifteen years of the time he was selling- 
machinery he had charge of the travelling men 
on the road, and for several years was located 
either at Baltimore or Elmira, as manager for 
the houses he represented. 

Mr. Blackburn in 1860 married Margaret M., 
the daughter of Jesse Smith of Lyons. Mrs, 
Harry Van Camp of New York, Mrs. Dr. J. C._ 
McPherson of Chicago and Miss Grace Black- 
burn of Lyons are their daughters. 




Knssell. Plioto. 

J. A. BLACKBURN. 



J. A. BLACKBURN'S RESIDENCE. 



"GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 




KEV. W. G. HULL. 

The Methodist Episcopal Church <jf Lyons 
[By John L. Cole] — It had its beginning in the 
year 1797, dating back to the time of tne arrival 
in Lyons of Rev. John Cole, one of Wesley's 
Lay Preachers, w^ho came in 1799, and of Capt. 
Daniel Dorsey, who came in 1801, both of Mary- 
land. The earliest members and founders of 
this church are: Rev. John Cole. Capt. Daniel 
Dorsey, Richard Jones, James Walters, Nicholas 
Stancel, James Otto, George Carr. 

Meetings for religious worship were generally 
held at first at the house of Richard Jones. His 
house occupied the lot fronting the park on 
Church street immediately east of the present 
Court House. About the year 1802 or 1803, 
the society bought of George Carr a lot on 
the northeast corner of Broad and Church 
streets. On this lot stood a log house built 
by George Carr in 1798 for a dwelling. It 
was made of white oak logs hewn on two 
sides, the chinks between the logs filled 
with mortar. The house was 20x30, the 
longest side facing the street. There was a 
door in the center and two windows, one on 
each side of the door. This house, afterward 
covered with clapboai'ds, stocd until 1834 
when it was burned down. 

Lyons was in the bounds of the Philadelphia 
Conference, but was so "deep in the wilder- 
ness" that traveling preachers did not find 
their way here until the year 1804. So far 
as can be ascertained, during all these years 
John Cole was the only preacher to the peo- 
ple of all classes, and the spirit of harmony 
among the people is perpetuated in the cor- 
porate name of the society, "The Union 
Meeting House, belonging to the Methodist 
Episcopal church." 

Additional to the names given the follow- 
ing were the early members; Samuel Ben- 
nett, Mi-s. Eleanor Dorsey and sons Andrew, 
Thomas E. and Nelson, and four daughters, 
Deborah, Delia, Elizabeth and Lydia; Mis. 



Ann Cole, Joseph Cole and sisters, Mary and 
Ann Cole; Mrs. Sarah Jones, William Jones, 
Elizabeth Coats, Wm. Wiles, Peter Walker, 
Wm. Sampson and sons, Thomas and Henry; 
George Alexander, Rev. Lawrence Riley and 
Charles Tindall. 

About the year 1804, one George Lane was 
-ent by Bishop Asbury to "hunt out the ground, '' 
and one of the first preachers in this place sub- 
ject to the order of the Philadelphia Conference 
was Thomas Smith. 

On July 4, 1807, Bishop Asbury in his journal 
writes: "We were greatly crowded in a small 
house in Lyons town." 

An era in the history of Methodism was the 
organization of the Genesee Conference. The 
first session was held Friday, July 30, 1810, in 
the storehouse of Daniel Dorsey in Lyons. The 
structure was chosen for its greater capacity. 
Lyons was in the Susquehanna District. Gideon 
Draper was Presiding Elder. This church is the 
parent of all those in the bounds of the present 
ctmference. 

The population of Lyons rapidly increased and 
the society outgrew its accommodations. On 
Aug. 10, 1810, it was voted to sell the old meet- 
ing house and part of the lot, the proceeds to be 
used in erecting a new house. A subscription 
was circulated. The amount subscribed was 
$743.96. In 1813 the house was inclosed so as to 
be used. When first used there was a scratch 
coat of plaster on the walls, and white wood slabs 
formed the seats. The house was finished in 
1818 and was regarded with pride. The building 
clapboarded, was 30x40 feet and fronted Broad 
sti'eet, with double doors in front. Within, the 
women occupied one side of the aisle, which was 
five feet wide, the men the other. This building 
was used by the Methodists as a place of worship 
for twenty-one years. 

During these years there came to this church 
to preach some of the most honored men in 
American Methodism: — Abner Chase, Jonathan 
Hunter, Gideon Lanning, Orrin Doolittle, George 




Pli(.i(,. 

THE MKTHODLST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. 



•GRIP-S'- HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



57 



Grary, Rk-l ard Wright, Joseph B. Tomkinson, 
Israel Chamberlain. Schuyler Seager. Benj. 
Sabin, Johnathan Heuster, John B. Alverson and 
John Dempster. 

In 1834 a new church building was erected on 
the lot at i)resent occupied by the society, the 
pastor being Dr. Thomas Carlton. This house 
cost $6,000. Eli Johnson, Joseph Cole and Daniel 
Watrous were the building committee. By some 
the structure was regarded as "too fine.'' In 
seventeen years this building was demolished, 
and in 1850 the present and fourth stated place 
of worship was erected. The building committee 
were Stephen Mar.shall. Samuel J. Cole and Gil- 
bert VanMarter; the architect was Henry Kein- 
ttzer, of Strasbourg, Germany. The cost of the 
edifice, including the bell, weighing 4,200 pounds, 
costing $1,000, sofas $2,728. organ $1 600, was 
$25,000. The church was built during the pas- 
torate of Rev. William H. Goodwin. 

It has been twice repaired, and modernized, 
first during the pastorate of William Jones and 
Thomas H. Youngman at an expense of $6,000, 



Bennett. James Runyan, Lyman Lyon, Mr. Van 
Alstyn, Hiram Hovey. E. J. Andre^vs, John L. 
Cole. Morgan McClelland, D. E. McClelland. 
The )>resent Superintendent is Frank H. Gardner. 

District Attorneys; Terms of Office [Al- 
phabetical Order] :— Adams, Wm H, 1824-'9, '31 
(served this term pending John M. Holly's elec- 
tion) ; Aldrich, Wm. F, 1862-'4; Bashford, Coles, 
1847-'50; Chapin, Graham H, 1830; Camp, John 
H, 1868-'70; Decker. Jacob E, 1859-'61; Ennis, 
Charles T, 1901 (present incumbent). 

Greenwood, Marvin I, 1877-'9; Holly, John M, 
1831-'4, 43-'5, (first term elected to fill vacancy) ; 
Harrison, Jared F, 1857-'8; Hopkins, Murganzy 
1874-'6: Hoag, Jeffer.son W, 1883-'5: Kellogg' 
Edward H, 1895-1900. 

Lawton, Charles D, 1840-'2; Middleton, Geo 
H, Sept. 1845 to May 1846; Olmstead, George 
(vice Bashford resigned), Oct. 1850 to Dec 
1850. 

Roys, Charles H, 1871-'3; '86-'8; Strong, 




R-rtss.-ll. Pilot. 



JUNIOR CHOIR. METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. 



Lo\v<'r How, k-ft ti> rijrhr— Mar.v CliapiJ<4i. Mai'i- WaniTier. Helf^n Rvd"'i-. R-v. W. (t Hull. Rt-rrlia Dit- 
toil, .Temiie Dnuhain. May Dnnii. Next Row— Ruth Wytikoff. Ethfl Fellows. Laura Fellows. Lillian Cliap- 
pMI. Top Row — Harold Stanler. Elton Stanlty. Mrs. W. H. Darrick. KaTiiiond >rnsbi<;kel. Russell Philip. 



in the years 1874 and 1875, and second under the 
leadership of Rev. Rufus Cooper at an expense 
of $8,000. 

Of the honored names of some of those who 
have been pastors of the church since 1840 we 
mention: John Dennis. David Nutten, William 
H. Goodwin. O. R. Howard, D. D. Buck, T. B. 
Hudson, William Jones, Thomas Stacy, H. B. 
Cassivant. Particularly to be named are those 
great and good men Kasimer P. Jervis and John 
Raines. AH of these have ceased from their la- 
bors, and gone to their reward. Of those now- 
living who served this church are: Thomas H. 
Youngman, D. M. Young, J. H. Rogers, B. W. 
Hamilton, Rufus T. Cooper, and the present 
pastor, W. G. Hull. 

Sunday school was first held in 1828. Eli John- 
son was first Superintendent, and was re-elected 
year after year for twenty -four yeai's, holding 
the office until his death. Since that period, 
1852, the following have held the oflice: Orra 



Theron R, 1835-9; Sherwood, Lyman, May 1846 
to June 1847; Sawyer, Samuel N, 1889-94; 
WiUiams, Stephen K, 1851-3; Welling, Joseph, 
1854- 6; Williams, Jr, Geo W, 1865- 7; Vanden- 
berg, 1880- 2. 

County Clerks: Terms of. Those Who have 
Held that Position, [Alphabetical Order]: — Bar- 
ber Jr, John, 1826-'31; Bixby, Abel J, 1879-81; 
Cuyler, John L, 1832-'4; Chapman, Daniel, 1842- 
"6; Collins. Thaddeus W, 1867 9; Cuyler, Led- 
yard S, 1894— (present incumbent. 

Foster, Cullen, 1835-9; Gavitt, Saxton B. 1852 
-'7. Gates, Alfred H, 1873- 5; Hawley, James, 
1840-1; Lyon, Lyman, 1858-63; Mason, Clark, 
1864-'6; McGonigal, 1882-"4. 

Peacock, Fred, 1891-3; Richardson, Israel J. 
1824-5; Redfield, Albert F, 1870-2; Sweeting, 
Volney H, 1876-8; Thomas, Byron, 1885-'7; 
Williams, Alexander B. 1847-'51; Wells, Edward 
B, 1888-'90. 



58 



"GRIP'S"' HISTORICAL SOUVENIR CF LYONS. 




H rinwfd Pin to. 

JAYES W. PLTNAM, M. D. 

Dr. .lames W. Putnam has pracLiced medi- 
cint' in Lyons for twenty-seven y^avs and he 
holds the record for conscative years of the 
prjictice of medicine in the vilh-ige. Dr. Putnam, 
the son of Barnes B. and Lucy A. M. (Bills) 
Putnam, was born in Amherst, N. H., Aug. 29, 
1S49. He was graduated at the Nassau, N. H., 
High school in June, 1870, and entered Dart- 
mouth College Aug. oOth of the same year. On 
June 24, 1874, he received the degree of A. B. at 
Dartmouth, and the following August registered 
with Dr. J. G. Graves of Nassau as medical 
student. From the litsr.iry and m?dical depart- 
ments at Dartmouth he received the degrees A. 
M. and M. D. June 28. 1877. Then he was in the 
office of Dr. S. G. Deirbom at Nassau until 
Sei)t. l:^ 1877, 
when he came to 
Lyons and en- 
tered upon that 
long and suc- 
cessful practice 
which has given 
him a very high 
standing among 
the {)r()fession 
in Wayne coun- 

t.y. 

On .AjM-il 27, 
190 3, he was 
married to C'ar- 
rie, the daugh- 
ter of the late 
William Clark, 
at the home of 
her sister, Mrs. 
J. H. Brown at 
Denver, Col. 

Dr. Putnam 
has been quite 
active in village 
and county af- 
fairs, having 
served four 



years as village president, also as health officer of 
the town of Lyons, and nine years physician to 
the Wayne County Almshouse and insane depart- 
ment. During thirteen years he was United 
States E.Kamining Surgeon for pensions, and for 
a long time acted as surgeon for the N. Y. W. 
S. & B. and the Fall Brook railways. 

Dr. Putnam is the president of the Wayn.^ 
County Medical Association, serving as such 
from the time of its organization two years ag(j. 
Previous to that he served as president and wa^ 
vice-president of the Wayne 'ounty Medical So- 
ciety. He is an active member of the American 
Medical Association, the New York State Medi- 
cal Association and the Medical Association of 
Central New York. He is a director in the 
Wayne County Electric Company. Dr. Putnara 
has traveled extensively in the west and in 
Eur ))3e. 

Sheriffs ; Terms of office [Alphabetical Order:] 
— Borrodaiie, John, 1844— "6; Barnard, Geo W, 
1847-9; Bennett, John P, 1862-"4, '68-'70; 
Brownell. John N, 1871-3; Clark, Thomas M. 
1877-9; Foster, Reuben H, 1826-8: Foster, 
Cullen, 1829- '31; P'ord, Charles H (appointed to 
succeed Walter Thornton, deceased), 1894. 

Groat, Richard P, 1874-6; Glenn, Wm. J. 
i88U— 2; Hemenway, Truman, 1835— 7; HovveU, 
Vei'non R, 1883— 5; Knowles. Geo W (appointei 
to succeed C E Reed, deceased). 1890—1. 

Mann. Hiram, 1838- 40; Miles, Geo R 1901-"3; 
Nottingham. Wm P, 1856— "8; Palmeter, Calvin 
D, 1832-4; Paddock, Geo W, 1853-5; Parshall, 
Rossman J, 1886- 8. 

Rogers, Bartlett R, 18e.^-'7; Reed, Charles E. 
1889- '90; Stout, Simon W, 184!- 3; Snedeker. 
Adrastus. 1859-'6]; Sweezey, Geo M, 1895-'7; 
Thornton, Walter, 1892-3; Ward, Chester A. 
1850-'2; Wheeler, DeWitt C. 1898-1900; Yeo- 
mans, Albert, 1904- 6. 

The Firs* Judges of Wayne county ap- 
pointed by the Governor April 18, 1823, wen- 
John S. Tallmadge Judge and Surrogate, William 
Sisson, David Arne, Jr,, Jonathan Boyanton and 
Enoch Morse Associate Judges. 




KassfU. 1 hotu. 



Dl;. .1. \V. l-UTNAM .S RK81DENCE. 



"-CHIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



59 




Last Photo Tat en. 

WILLIAM CLARK. 

Hon. William Clark was born at Ovid, Sen- 
■eca county, N. Y., February, 9, 1810. His an- 
cestors on both his father's and mother's side 
served with credit in the Revolutionary war, and 
on his father's side in the Indian and Colonial 
wars also. He was the oldest son in a family of 
eight children, four boys and four girls. Two of 
his younger brothers were the late Judge John 
T. Clark of Wisconsin, and Gen. Emmons Clark 
of New York city, for twenty-five years Colonel 
of the Seventh Regiment, and for many years 
Secretary of the New York City Health Depart- 
ment. One of his sisters is Mrs. Sophronia C. 
Bottume of Lyons, widow of the late Dr. E. W. 
Bottumr. He moved with his father, William 
'Clark, a well known Presbyterian clergyman, at 



the age of si.x years, to Huron, Wayne county, 
where he remained, except about two year^ — 
which he spent attending Ovid Academy— until 
he came to Lyons to study law at the age of 
twenty. Here he entered the office of Graham 
H. Chapin and afterwards that of John M. 
Holley. He was admitted to practice as an at- 
torney at law in the Supreme Court in January, 
1838, and practiced at Lyons for two years, when 
he entered into partnership with John M. Holley, 
which continued till Mr. Holley's death while 
Member of Congress. Mr. Clark was also ad- 
mitted in due course, under the .system which 
was then in force in this State, as a counselor at 
law in the Supreme Court in January. 1841, as a 
solicitor in chancery in January, 1838, and as a 
counselor in chancery in January 1843. He was 
also admitted to practice in the District and Cir- 
cuit Courts of the United States in and for the 
Northern District of New York in March, 1842. 
After Mr. Holley's death Mr. Clark practiced 
alone down to the time of his leaving Lj'ons for 
Denver, Colorado, except for a few years when 
Col. Anson S. Wood, late of Wolcott,"N. Y., was 
associated with him under the firm name of 
Clark & Wood, and from 1870 to 1876, when his 
son William H. Clark, who was Member of 
Assembly from the Eastern District of Wayne 
county in 1875, —and who purchased "The Cort- 
land (N. Y.) Standard ' in 1876 and has since re- 
sided at that place — was associated with him 
under the firm name of W. & W. H. Clark. 

He always took a deep interest in politics, first 
as a Whig and afterwards as a Republican, and 
was State Senator in 1854-.55, and chairman of 
the Judiciary Committee. 

While a strong and convincing advocate, Mr. 
Clark was particularly well known as a thor- 
oughly informed and safe legal adviser— a repu- 
tation which was shown by the term almost 
invariably applied to him, and by which he came 
to be everywhere known, that of "Counselor" 
Clark. 

Mr. Clark was married October 13, 1847, to 
Miss Amelia R. Heermans, formerlv of Nassau, 
N. Y., who died Oct. 16, 1880. Of their six chil- 
dren two died while quite young. The surviving 




Kufssell. Photo. 



c. M. baltzel's residence. 



60 



"GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 




C'.mrt. 



if (i ]j. ('mv.T. 

THE OLD EXCHANGE HOTEL (Site of Baltzel 



ones are William H. Clark of Cortland. N. Y., 
now manager of the Cortland Daily Standard 
and Norwich (N. Y.) Daily Sun; .John H. Clark, 
for many years principal of the Lyons Union 
School, afterwards superintendent of schools at 
Flushinof, N. Y., later connected with Gunton's 
Collej^e of Social Economics in New Yoi'k city, 
and now Principal of the Flush inj^- Hit;h School, 
part of the school system of Greater New York; 
Mrs. Dr. James W. Putnam of Lyons, N. Y., 
and Mrs. James H. Brown of Denver, Col. 

Mr. Clark for the first few years after his 
marriage resided in the house on Broad street 
which is now the home of Dr. and Mrs. J. W. 
Putnam. Mr. Clark afterwards bought what is 
now known as the Clark homestead on William 
street, which was the family home durinj; the 
rem? inde • of his residence at Lyons. It was sold 
to Mr. J. W. VanEtten, who still occupies it. 
A picture of it appears on page 6fi. 

In December, 1878, Mr. Clark removed to 
Denver, Col., for the benefit of his health, he 
having for many years suf- 
fered severely from asth- 
ma. It was while on his 
return to that city from a 
visit at Lyons that he fell 
from a train near Clyde, 
0., July 9, 1890, and was 
instantly killed. He was a 
member, at the time of his 
devth, of the Central Pres- 
byterian church of Denver. 

The Wayne Democratic 
Press, speaking of him 
after his death, said: 

"In his profession he was 
an able counselor and an 
advanced thinker. He was 
a man of intelligence, well- 
read, mentally trained. His 
character nobody ever as- 
sailed. He was an honest, 
faithful man. He filled with 
honor the office of State 
Senator, and as chairman 
of the Senate Judiciary- 
Committee and servant of 
the people was clear-headed 



and firm. He left the legis- 
lative hall with a clean rec- 
ord, and during his life he 
was held up to the young 
men of his time as an ex - 
ample to follow. " 

The Lyons Republican 
spoke of him as follows: 

' ' Few m e n i n Wayne 
county were better known 
at the time of his removal 
to Denver than Mr. Clark, 
and few comma n d e d a 
larger measure of genuine 
respect and esteem. He- 
was a man of decided opin- 
ions and fearless in their 
expressi(m; but beneath a 
positive manner he carried 
a warm heart and a kindly 
disposition that attached 
his friends to him as with 
hooks of steel. He was 
a k T'en observer of events, 
and his extensive and 
varied infoi-mation made him an instructive and 
delightful companion. None who met him dur- 
ing his recent visit to his old home in Lyons will 
forget how happy he seemed to be in greeting 
his old time fi'iends again, or the interest he dis- 
played in the growth an<l improvement of thi-" 
village that was for so many years his home. 
Though past his four score years, his step was 
firm, his voice sonorous, and his bodily health 
apparently unimpaired. " 

The following resolutions were adopted by the 
bar of Wayne county following Mr. Clark's 
death : 

il7-< /(('.v. Hon. William Clark was for man^r- 
years a distinguished citizen of Wayne county, 
an eminent membei- of the bar and filled with 
distinction while among us high public office, and 
117/' «. (IS. His choice of a home always remained 
in Wayne county, and he resided away only be- 
cause afflicted with a physical malady from which 
he could only find relief by absence. Therefore, 
h'l xnlri'il. That, as citizens and members of the 




Court. - , .; I . I .. ( 'ill- , . ■■ 

THE OLD GRAH.\M HOTEL (once Landon, famous in canal packet days). 



"GMP\S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OP^ LYONS. 



61 




Courtesy of F. E Boehciiii 

THt: OLD GLOVKR HOUSK. 

bar of Wayne county, we mourn hi.s lam( ntaVjle 
death and honor and cherish his memory. That 
we remember him as a citizen of great ability, 
pure Hfe and ever interested in the public wel- 
fai'e; as a lawyer eminent in counsel, able in 
argument, and true and honoi-able in his dealings 
■with clients and with the members of his pro- 
fession; and as a statesman, enlightened, incor- 
ruptible, wii"hout reproach. 

Ri'siiln.l. That these resolutions be filed with 
the records of the county and copies sent to the 
friends of our deceased brother and also to the 
press for publication." 

Early Schools — The first schoolhouse in Lyons 
stood on the west side of Butternut street next 
south to the present jail. It was built of logs at 
first. Thomas Rogers taught there in 1808. 
This was afterwards replaced by a frame build- 
ing, the fifth structure used for school purposes, 
and was later purchased by the Catholic church 
society which worshipped there for many years. 

The second schoolhouse in Lyons, built of logs, 
stood on the northeast corner of the Presbyte- 
rian church lot. Capt. Hill taught here. 



The third school was taught in "the Glover 
house." Mr. Fuller, afterward in Government 
employ, and Andrew Hull, the first -ludge of 
Allegany county, taught here. 

The fourth schoolhouse stood on the present 
site of the German Lutheran church. 

The sixth school, now a residence standing 
where it always stood on the east side of Catha- 
rine street between Holly and Lawrence, was 
used as a school until sometime in the thirties. 
It was vacant for a few years and since 184?> has 
been used as a residence. 

Sevei'al private schools sprang up in Lyons 
during its early period. One of them was taught 
in the old flatiron building at the junction of 
William and Broad streets. 

The advertis -ment of a select school in a Lycns 
pai)er in March. 1828, is interesting as showing 
the "drawing card ' of those days in getting 
pupils: 

"Miss Chapin will open a school for the in- 
struction of young ladies April 14 next (1828) in 
the village of Lyons in the upper room of Mr. 
Yale's tin factory. Terms — Reading, writing 
and plain needlework, .$2 per quarter. Gram- 
mar, arithmetic, geography, history, rhetoric, 
chemistry, natural philosophy, map drawing, 
painting, ornamental needlework and lace work, 
etc., $3 per quarter. The department of needle- 
work will be superintended by Mrs. Naglee. " 

The first German school was taught in the 
building which is now the Scott homestead, just 
outside of the village limits. Michael Lawrence 
built the house of the bi'ick taken from the earliest 
court house, and his daughter taught the school. 

Soldier of 18I2.— John Gilbert, born in Sa- 
lem, Washington Co., N. Y., Dec. 30, 1789, came 
to Lyons in 1806 and resided in the village from 
1810 until his death, July 22. 1822. In 1812 he 
served on the Niagara frontier under Capt. Elias 
Hull. When the British invaders approached 
Sodus Point in 1813 he rode through the town 
"warning out" the militiamen. 




Russf-ll. Ph..to. 



J. W. HOAG S RESIDENCE. 



62 



"GRIPS" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 




Hnss.ll, Plioto. 

gp:orge mapes. 

George Mapes, manufacturer of cigars on a 
larger scale than most of the manufacturers in 
Wayne county, began business with a partner May 
1, 1876, and has so largely extended it that his 
leading lines of cigars have a wide sale in the 
western and south'^rn parts of the state. They 
include Golden Seal, 10 cts., and the Great 
Sachem, Little Tycoon and Bamboo, 5 cts. 

Mr. Mapes was born at Lyons Feb. 14, 1852. 
Circumstances were such that when a boy he left 
school to earn his living, and began by selling 
popcorn and fruit on the railway trains passing- 
through Lyons. This was prior to the days of 



the great Union News Co., and the boy, stimu- 
lated by the competition of other lads, worked 
like a beaver and laid aside quite a sum of money. 
Then for five and a half years he was the Ex- 
press Company's driver at Lyons. 

He had no practical knowledge of the cigar 
business when in 1876 he joined in the partner- 
ship of Snider & Mapes, but his early business 
training stood him instead and although a short 
time after the firm was changed to Mapes & 
Vosteen the business continued to grow. Oa 
January 1, 1882, Mapes & Vosteen dissolved 
partnership and Mr. Mapes has carried on the 
business alone at the old stand ever since. Mr. 
Mapes married Elizabeth Frank of Lyons Sept.. 
15, 1875. They have two sons, William H.. who 
is connected with the Hank of Wayne and George 
Frank Mapes. 

The first Attorneys admitted to practice in the 
county of Wayne at the Court of Common Plea& 
(first session) held at the Presbyterian church 
beginning Tuesday May 27, 182>5, Judges Tall- 
rnadge, Sisson, Arne and Monax on the bench, 
were the following: — 

Wm. H. Adams, Frederick Smith, Orville L. 
Holly, Wm. J. Hough, Graham H. Chapin, Hugh. 
Jameson, John F'leming, Jr., Wm. Wells, Alex- 
ander R. Tiffany, Thomas P. Baldwin, Charles 
F. Smith, Edward M. Coe, David Hudson, Jesse 
Clark, Nathan Parke, Lansing B. Mizner, Jared 
Willson, Lemuel W. Ruggles, Mark H. Sibley, 
John Burton. 

Earliest Stacfe Lines — The first stage coach 
to pass through Lyons on the new turnpike run- 
ning between Rochester and Auburn was in Jan- 
uary, 1828. It was run by a company operating 
tri-weekly coaches each way. 

In June, 1823, a daily stage coach began run- 
ning between Lyons and Geneva, leaving Wooi- 
sey's tavern in Lyons at 5 A. M. and returning- at 
4 P. M. 




Hn.ssi'U, Pli<>t( 



GEORGE mapes' RESIDENCE. 



"GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



63 




"m^ 




RusselU Photo. 

JOSEPH M. DEMMON. 

Joseph M. Demmon, among the very earli- 
■est of Lyons' business men, was a distinguished 
•citizen of this villag? whose career is more close- 
ly identified with the growth of the village and 
-whose residence here more completely spanned 
the beginning and development of Lyons than 
that of any other individual. He came to Lyons 
■with the first stock of general merchandise for 
the complete ecjuipment of a store that was 
lii'cught to the village. This was in 1813. He 
•died in March, 1886, at the age of 9.5 years and 



four months, after a residence in Lyons of 73 
years. He retired from business about 1866, 
after a business career in Lyons of about fifty- 
three years. At the time of his death he was 
the oldest person in the village and the oldest 
with' one excepticm in the county. Mr. Dem- 
mon was the first town clerk in Lyons and dur- 
ing his long life in the village, with the excep- 
tion of four years, he was either town clerk 
overseer of the poor or village treasurer. Dur- 
ing many of his last years he was kept in the 
latter position, his name appearing on the tick- 
ets of both political parties. 

Mr. Demmon was born in Steventown, Rens- 
selaer county, N. Y., Oct. 30, 1790. In 1801 his 
parents journeyed to Western New York, driving 
a team the entire distance. Reaching Geneva 
they found a village of about a dozen families, 
the largest place at that time between Central 
New York and the Niagara frontier. The fami- 
ly settled in the town of Phelps and the ensuing 
ten years .Joseph Demmon spent on a farm. Mr. 
Demmon 's place of business in Lyons was on 
Water street where Mindel s marble works are 
now located. At one time he conducted an hotel 
here. 

He also contracted the building of locks on the 
canal and other public work in this vicinity. He 
was 23 years old when he opened his store in 
Lyons, the youngest of the pioneer merchants. 
Mr. Demmon 's first wife was Deborah Bradley. 
Phoebe Mead, his second wife, survived him two 
years. Of the five children by his first wife. 
Caroline (Mrs. Cook of this village) the first 
born, is the sole survivor. The others in the 
order of birth were Charles, Sarah Louise, Ellen 
and William. Mr. Demmon was a descendant of 
distinguished families. His mother, Susannah, 
was a descendant of Lewis Morris, one of the 
signers of the Declaration of Independence. 




Bussell, Photo. 






THE BANK OF WAYNE. 






'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LY(JXS. 




Borrowed Plioto. 

LAMOTTK M. BLAKKLY. 

LaMotte M. Blakeiy, at one time president 
of the village of Lyons, was born in Perry, 
Wyoming Co., N. Y., Nov. 19, 1830. His father, 
Jason Blakeiy, of Scotch descent, a native of 
Vermont, settled on a farm, in Wyoming county 
about 1816, and died there. Ezra Blakeiy. the 
father of Jason, was a revolutionary soldier and 
died in Manchester, Vt. Jason married Mary 
Ward, the dau<:;hter of a veteran of the revolu- 
tion. Mrs. Blakeiy of English descent, died in 
Lyons, April 22, 1879. She was a cousin of the 
late Gen. Benjamin F. Butler. 

LaMotte M. Blakeiy was educated in the dis- 
trict schools and the East Bioomheld Academy. 



The family, then comprising Mrs. Mary Blakeiy, 
her son-in-law Southard S. Lewis and his wife 
and daughter, and L. M. Blakeiy, moved to 
Lyons in 1848. Soon after comin^- here Mr. 
Blakeiy left home to cast his fortunes in the 
then new country in the northwest, and there he 
engaged in the lumber trade, shipping lumber 
down the Mississippi and up the Missouri rivers, 
until the opening of the rebellion which put a 
stop to the river business in that section of the 
country. While engaged in business there, how- 
ever, Mr. Blakeiy became active in Iowa state 
politics and participated in .some of the state 
conventions. 

At the close of the Civil war he went to Wash- 
ington, N. C, whei'e he made his headquarters, 
while for twenty years he traded in lumber and 
cotton with mai"ked success, his operations ex- 
tending through the eastern section of the south- 
ern states. At the same time he bought consid- 
erable tracts of land, timbered and unimproved, 
which he still owns. He spent so many years in 
that country and his investments, circulating 
thousands of dollars, were .so large that he be- 
came widely known there. Although Mr. Blakeiy, 
returning to L-yons in 1888, has since spent most 
of his time in this village, he has maintained 
close relations with a large circle of friends and 
business connections in the South; and the warm 
friendships he still maintains there are heartily 
reciprocated. It is one of his greatest pleasures 
to entertain his Southern friends who come 
North, and he always receives the same royal 
entertainment whenever he goes back. 

At the .same time his interest in the welfare 
of Lyons is manifested in the zealous manner in 
which he engages in public matters that claim 
his attention. His activity as a Republican has 
served the pai'ty many ways. He occupied the 
position of president of the village a term, and 
president of the board of health three years. 
He is equally active in the affairs of Grace 
Episcopal church, where he is now warden, hav- 
ing been vestryman for eighteen years. 

Mr. Biakelv became well known as a member 




RussoU. P)ioto. 



LAMOTTK M. BLAKKLY's KKSIDKNCK. 



"GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



65 




Borrowed Pliolo. 

SOUTHARD S. LEWIS. 

of the state commission at the World's Fair in 
Paris. He was appointed by Gov. Black, from 
the Seventh Judicial di-;trict and was made Vice- 
President of the commission. Having charge of 
the fruit exhibit from this state he made a cred- 
itable record in giving the Exposition one of its 
best features. This fact was recognized by the 
Exposition management which awarded him a 
certificate of honor and a gold medal. The ex- 
hibit won seventeen first prizes and secured a 
world-wide recognition of New York State fruit. 

Southard (Southworth) Lewis was born 
at Franklin Furnace, New Jersey, and when 
eighteen or twenty years of age moved to Hone- 
oye, Ontaiio county. There he manied Elvira 
A., daughter of Jason and Mary W. Blakely, in 
1889. At Honeoye he engaged in the clothing 
business until 1845. Then he was associated 
with Mr. Chester Wilder in the same business at 
Albion, N. Y., until 1848 when that firm brought 
its business to Lyons, taking a store in the old 
Centre Building — in the corner where the post- 
office is. Mr. Wilder retired, in about a year, 
and Mr. S. S. Herrick came in as a partner, the 
firm then being Lewis & Herrick. In 1857 Mr. 
Lewis retired from the firm and all business life. 
He died not many months after, Nov. 5, 1858. 
His wife lived many years after, her death oc- 
curring in 1880. 

Mr. Lewis was a widely known clothing mer- 
chant. His business extended quite largely 
through the south and west. It was a custom- 
made trade and several of his patrons lived in 
New Orleans and Chicago. 

His was an important figure both socially and 
in business circles in Lyons. He was an uncom- 
promising Democrat and had a voice in directing 
party matters in Wayne county. His appoint- 
ment as canal collector, a position he held some 
time when the office was in Lyons, was a token 
of his fidelity to his party. He was also promi- 
nent in Masonic circles —a chai'ter member of 
the Masonic lodge — and was identified with the 
Odd Fellows. Mr. Lewis was a scholarly gentle- 
man of literary tastes, a great lover of books. 



He was of English and Scotch ancestry, on his 
mother's side in direct descent fi'om the South- 
worths of Plymouth Colony. Miss Eudora A., 
the daughter of Southard S. and Mary W. Lewis, 
is living in Lyons. 

Van Rensselaer Richmond was one of the 

most d'stinguished of the citizens of Lyons of a 
quartei" of a century ago, his individuality being 
conspicuous in the state at large. As a civil en- 
gineer he ranked at the head of his profession 
and in the important office of State Engineer and 
Surveyor, to which he was elected four times, 
on the Democratic ticket, he occupied a com- 
manding position in public affairs. The j)ost he 
so ably filled dui'ing his incumbency was an im- 
portant one, as the state claims to lands at that 
time held by private individuals, and in many 
cases contested by them, were based largely on 
the results of his administration of that office; 
and they were then numerous. 

As a citizen of Lyons Mi-. Richmond hekl a 
place in the hearts of his townspeople that gave 
his name prestige in the community. In private 
as well as public affairs he was the .soul of honor. 
For several years he was vestryman in Grace 
church. Mr. Richmond was born in Oxford, 
Chenango Co., N. Y., January, 1812, and, conse- 
quently at the time of his death, Nov. 21, 1888, 
was in his seventy-second year. His first elec- 
tion as State Survevor was in 1857; then he was 
re-elected in 18.59, 1*867 and 1869. As a delegate 
to the Constitutional Convention of a half cen- 
tury ago he was the author and secured the en- 
actment of the prohibition of legislation for the 
relief of individuals, which shut out a good deal 
of canal jobbery by which conti-actors years after 
their work was finished secured appi'opriations 
from state funds. 

The family who survived him were a widow, 
two sons and three daughters viz. : Denison 
Richmond of Syracuse, Frank Richmond of New- 
Orleans, Mrs. W. P. Mirick of Lyons. Mrs. Sid- 
ney Sweet and Mrs. Lewis Sweet of Belle Plain, 
jowa. 




H<.rro\ve<l Flioti . 

VAN RENSSELAER RICHMOND. 



m 



•'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 




J. W. VAN ETTEN. 

J. W. Van Etten is one of the oldest of the 
most active practicing attorneys in Lyons, he 
having been in continuous practice for nearly a 
half century. The family as residents of this 
county date to 188L when Mi". Van Etten 's father, 
(lornelius W., brought his familv from Sussex 
Co., N. J. 

Mr. Van Etten was born at AUoway, the town 
of Lyons, March U, 1883. and it was there and 
in Lyons where he attended district and Union 
schools. Then he took a course in Business col- 
lege at Buffalo, N. Y., and afterwards read law 
with William Clark until admitted to practice at 
Rochester in 18(iL Mr. Van Etten's home now, 
is the Wm. Clark homestead. The life of this 
man has been a busv one and he has come in con- 



tact with many well known people. Having 
been admitted to pi-actice in the United States 
courts Mr. Van Etten has been connected with 
important litigation. One case in which how- 
ever he appeared not as the attorney but in 
which he had very much to do with securing 
evidence, was that in which the rights to the 
water power in this village were established. 
He was one of the promoters and a charter stock - 
holdei- of the Lyons Elective Light Company. 
Mr. Van Etten succeeded Anson S. Wood as sal- 
aried attorney for the National Bank of Lyons. 
For thirty-five years Mr. Van Etten has attended 
to his business in the office he now occupies, and 
for twenty-seven years he has made insurance a 
part of his duty. 

Mr. Van Etten became a Republican at the 
birth of the party and has voted for every nom- 
inee of the party for president. He served as 
justice of the peace four years and as postmaster 
from Aug. 1869 to Feb. "1879. In 1870 he mar- 
ried Sarah, the daughter of George S. Zielley of 
Fort Plain. 

Business Men of Lyons, 1822, who adver- 
tised in the Lyons Advertiser on May 31 of that 
year:- 

John Adams & Co., general store; Bushnell & 
Stevens, "at the brick store under Day's print- 
ing office;" Thomas Hawley, groceries and 
liquors, "near the lock, convenient for passen- 
gers;" J. F. .Johnson, boots and shoes, "opposite 
Camp's hotel, a few rods above the square;" 
.John S. Tallmadge, attorney at law, "office south- 
west corner S M. Palmer's store;" L. R. 
Lasell, jeweler, "stand lately occupied by B. I. 
Mather on Water street;" Cyrus Hecox, generg.1 
store, corner Broad and Water streets; Gilbert 
& Avery, drugs, "at the old store in Broad 
street, a few rods above the square;" the same 
firm also has "the dry goods and grocery store 
formerly Frisbie & Pierrepont's. Lisk & Uecke^, 
"at theii- shop a few doors north of Dr. William 
A. Gilbert's. D. Easton, writing classes at Mr. 
Price's inn; "gentlemen at the district school, 
.5 to 7 P. M.; ladies 9 to 11 A. M." 




Run 



.1. W. VAN ETTE.N'S RE.SIDENCK. 



"GRIP'S'" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



67 




Russell, Photo. 
EDWARD DEUCHLER. 



PHILIP UEUCHLER. ALBERT DEUCHLER. 



P. Deuchler S( Sons^The present standing 
of this business is interesting when compared 
with its modest beginning. Mr. PhiHj) Deuchler 
came to this country in 1855, when sixteen years 
of age, and learned the blacksmith's ti-ade at 
Syracuse. In 1861 he came to Lyons and after 
working for John Robinson, a prominent black- 
smith, and later for William Richardson. Mr. 
Deuchler in 1865 started blacksmithing and mak- 
ing wagons in a modest way where the Cosart 
block on Geneva street now stands, having the 
woodwork done by Henry Martin. Though the 
work bore the name Deuchler & Martin, it was 
not a partnership business. 

In 1869 Mr. Deuchler bought the shop standing 



on the present site of his works, 
out of which has grown the plant 
of to-day The property, then 
consisting of two structures sep- 
arated by a lane, was purchased 
of Miss McElwaine. Here Mr. 
Deuchler started with two fires 
and five employes. Now there 
are employed here a dozen 
men or more. In 1875 an ad- 
dition to one of the buildings 
was constructed and a little later 
both structures were joined, 
doubling the size of the plant. 

In 1892 the carriage i-epos- 
itory was built. Other additions 
that have since been made are 
the lumber storehouse, a two- 
story building, the seed house 
and the office building. 

The plant is heated by steam 
and lighted by electricity. A 
ten horse power Olin gasolene 
engine drives ail of the machin- 
ery. The main building, 45x45 
feet, is three stories, and the 
repository, 34x64 feet, comprises 
two floors, besides an attic and 
basement. A bridge connects 
the second stoi-ies of the two buildings. The 
plant is furnished with a freight elevator. On 
the first floor of the main building are the black- 
smiths and the engine room, and on the second 
floor the wood shop, the trimming and rubber 
tire rooms and the bicycle repair shop, the firm 
having ten years ago taken up the handling of 
the best grade of bicycles. On the third floor is 
the paint shop. Seeds, farming material and 
fencing occupy the basement of the repository, 
the show room being on the first floor, the assem- 
bling and finishing rooms on the second floor and 
the stock rooms overhead. 

It was in 1887 that E. P. Deuchler became 
actively associated with the concern, paying 




Kussell, Photo. 



p. DEUCHLER & SONS' CARRIAGE WORKS. 



68 



•(GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 




DANIKL 



D. F. MOHAN. 



special attention to the handling- of farm imple- 
ment.s, which it was found at that time could be 
sold to advantage, and making that line a poi)u- 
lar feature of the business by cari-ying only high 
grade implements. 

In 1898 Mr. Philip Deuchler, finding his busi- 
ness too large to be properly cared for by one 
man, took into partnership his two sons, Edward 
and Albert, forming the present firm. Then the 
facilities of the plant wei'e enlarged, increasing 
the business and tui-ning out vehicles of high 
grade, with and without rubber tires and 
ball bearing axles. This firm, leading in its 
line, has received many congratulations, 
both in and out of town, on the success it 
has achieved by hard work and honorable 
dealing. 

Daniel Moran probably has been engaged 
in business in Lyons longer than any other 
business man of the present time. It is cei- 
tain that none other in the village has had in 
the cour-se of his career as many separate 
busmess investments employed in active oper- 
ation as Mr. Moran. Some time during the 
forties of the last century, his father began 
a business career in Waterloo, Seneca Co., 
N. Y., that of men's clothing and to this 
branch of mercantile life Daniel Moran turned 
his attention when a young man. 

In 1861 he opened a merchant taiioiing 
and general clothing business in Lyons, and 
has carried it on ever since. Daniel P. , one 
of his sons, is now associated with him in the 
business. 

Mr. Moran has always employed his means 
in channels of industry and trade which, 
while rewarding personal endeavor, contribute 
to the commercial growth of the community. 
He has invested in and given personal direc- 
tion to the promotion of public utilities such 
as the water, the electric and the silver 
work^ and other imi)ortant enterprises that 



are being successfully carrie"! on in 
Lyons. 

Mr. Moi-an has often refused to accept 
public offiL-e, although urged to do so; 
yet he did consent to serve on the Board 
of Education to which he was unani- 
mously elected, two terms (six years), 
and was one of the organizers and the 
first [resident of the village board of 
trade. 

Ml-. Moi-an maivied the daughter of 
John Fitz Patrick, formerly of Ossory, 
Ire'and, and both are interested in 
church, educational and social matters. 
St. Michael's parish, of which both are 
prominent members, is considerably in- 
debted to Mr. and Mrs. Moran for its 
prosperous condition. They contributed 
liberally to the handsome church edifice 
and ))arsonage and greatly assisted the 
pastor in procuring the erection of thosi 
structures; doing much toward securing 
eiigil)le sites in one of the prettiest 
residential sections of the village. 

Their family comprises eight children, 

Daniel P., Fitz James and John J. of 

Lyons; Mrs. Marie Lawlor of Boston; 

Mrs. Elizabeth M. Finigan of Lyons; Mrs. 

Emily M. Dean of Mayville; and the Misses 

Birgitta K. and Genevieve A. of Lyons. 

First Farm Houge— John Riggs, who was 
the first settler to own land made good by a 
deed in Lyons village, was the owner of that 
l)art of the village east of William street. He 
completed and occupied his frame farm house in 
1801, and seeing the need of an inn off'ered new 
comers such accommodations as he had. 




Ku 



I'h.ito. 

I), p. MOHAN 



& CO., CLOTHIEKS. 



GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OP^ LYONS. 



69 




Russrll. Photc 



DANIEL MORAN S RESIDENCE. 



Oldest Building in Lyons — [See view on 
page 61]. The " Glover House" is the oldest 
frame building in Lyons. It was erected on the 
present site of the old canal groceries, south of 
the lock, in 1796, by Charles Williamson, the 
agent of the Pultney lands, for a warehouse in 
which to receive goods that were brought up the 
river to the then little frontier settlement, on 
boats. 

Soon after 1800, the date is nnt obtainable, the 
Presbyterian society bought the building— the 



first in Lyons to be used as a regular house for 
worship— and moved it to a site upon the south 
side of Queen street, between Broad and Wil- 
liam streets— (almost on the site of the present 
Presbyterian church). In 182.5, after the Pres- 
byterians had erected their new church on the 
west side of Broad street, opposite the park, the 
old house wss sold to Mr. Francis Glover, who 
removed it to the site the building now occupies, 
on the north side Jackson street, between Elm 
and Phelps streets. There for a number of years 




Russt-ll, Photo. 



MRS. ELIZABETH M. FINIGAN'S RESIDENCE. 



70 



'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 




Kass,-ll. I'h.t. 



F. S. rONVERSK's COAL YARDS. 



it was occujjied l)y families. Since that time the 
old fanning- mill office of J. A. Blackburn was 
moved from Phelps street and connected with 
the old "Glover house," and the two structui'es 
—now the same as one — are now occuaied liy F. 
W. Boeheim for a cabinet shop. 

The old "Glover house" was not only the tii'st 
"meeting house" in Lyons, but it was the place 
in which the first court in Wayne county was 
held. It also served as a school room. The in- 
terior was divided by a pai'tition, one i-oom be- 
ing reserved for public worshi]) and the othei' as 
a public meeting place. It was thei-e that the 
first county oi'gani/ation of the Medical fi'ater- 
nity was effected. 

The First Store in Lyons was that of Judge 
Daniel Dorsey, whose time of coming here is 
mentioned am(.ng early settlers in another article. 



Alloway, befoi'e Lyons had enough residents- 
to be called a village, was a place of considera- 
ble promise, and it was supposed that there, the 
nucleus of the settlement, would e.\])and and be- 
come the i)i-incij)al village of this locality. It 
had a number of homes and two tlouiing mills, 
two distilleries, a saw null, a fulling mill, two 
tavei'ns and a few stores. 

Wayne County — Population in 1825: — Mace- 
don \,\m, Ontario 2,732, Palmyra 2,613, William- 
son :5,19(), Arcadia 3.479, Lvons 3,068, Sodus 
2,496, Galen 2,935, Savannah 452, Wolcott 3,893 
— eotal. 26,761. There were then in the county 
26 grist mills, 83 saw mills, 19 fulling mills, 20 
carding machines. 

Commissioners to erect the first county 
buildings in Wayne county, were Nathaniel Kel- 
logg, William Patrick and Simeon Griswold. 




Russfll, Plioto. 



REV, WILLIAM H. WILLIAMS' RESIDENCE. 



"GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIRiOF LYONS. 



71 




Russell, Plioto. 

E. P. Bf)YLP:. 



M. MORRISSEY. 



The ^Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. is 

one of the leading and reliable institutions of 
this country, and as everybody knows is a well 
established guarantor of all its policies. The 
Metropolitan now has upwards of 8,000,000 poli- 
cies in force and assets of over $105,000,000, and 
for each of the last ten years this company 
•claims to have had more new 
insurance accepted and issued 
than any other company in the 
world. In 1903 the average 
number of claims paid per day 
was 359, the total of which 
payments represents $89 a 
minute throughout the year. 
The average number of poli- 
ices issued per day were 6,297, 
representing a daily aggregate 
of $1,303,569.06. " The total 
amount of insurance written 
for the year of 1903 was $398,- 
■889,074, while the total amount 
of insurance in force at the end 
of 1903 was $1,342,381,457. 

The Lyons section of the Au- 
burn district of the Metropoli- 
tan Life Insurance Co., with 
headquarters in Lyons, com- 
prises Lyons, Clyde, Savannah, 
Newark, Palmyra, Macedon 
and Marion. It was established 
about ten years ago and since 
then there has been worked up 
a business in this district 
which will compare favorably 
with that of other companies 
in the same field. 

Each of these towns is "cov- 
ered ' ' by representatives of the 
company who are zealously 
and industriously pushing the 
interests of this great insur- 
ance company, each day show- 
ing marked gains over the pre- 
ceding day. 



This Company's policies are 
plain business contracts, which 
tell their whole story upon their 
face; leave nothing to the im- 
agination ; borrow nothing from 
hope ; require definite conditions, 
and make definite promises in 
dollars and cents. The manager 
of the Lyons section is Mr. M. 
A. Morrissey, who has been with 
the company in continuous ser- 
vice since July 8, 1889, begin- 
ning at Cohoes, N. Y., where he 
was the assistant superintend- 
ent, also holding the positions of 
claim inspector and agent, and 
coming to Lyons Sept. 14, 1903. 
Mr. Morrissey re-organized the 
force of the Lyons district, put- 
ting in new agents and generally 
improving the service in his ter- 
ritory. Mr. Morrissey was born 
in Waterford, N. Y., Oct. 28, 
1863, and was educated in the 
public schools. Early in life he 
worked in the Cohoes mills, but 
his natural bent led him to in- 
surance. Mr. Morrissey was 
active in local aff'airs and a sup- 
porter of public improvements 
in Cohoes, where for years he was the Demo- 
cratic leader in the Sixth ward. He represented 
the Third ward on the board of supervisors a 
term and was school commissioner two years. 
He married Margaret Scanlon of Cohoes, N. Y., 
Sept. 14, 1884. 
Those connected with the Metropolitan staff 



p:dward buell. 




Russell. Photo. 



G. W. SLOAN'S RESIDENCE. 



72 



"GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 




Ku>-(ll. l'li..I(). 



A. E. KIiRNETT. 



A. E. HIKNKTT & CO. 8 GROCERY. 



in the Lyons district, are E. P. Boyle, (ieorye 
H. Wallace, Miss Bertha J. Bennett and Lorenzo 
Whitney. Mr. Boyle covers Lyons village, Mr. 
Wallace Clyde, Mi.ss Bennett Newark and Mr. 
Whitney Palmyra. Everyone is a hustler, as 
the growth of the businsss in each one of the 
towns has shown, and the interests of the com- 
pany are well c;ired for here. 

Mr. E. P. B-. vie, the Lyons representative, 
was born in Lvi ns, March ."JL 18().';5, and attended 
the village schools. As a printer he worked in 
the Democratic Press office and aftervvaids at 
Rochester. For eight years he was a ))oliceman 
in Lyons, servivg 
the longest time <.f 
any other man. In 
the spring of Uiol 
he became con- 
nected with the 
Metroplitan. He 
is an active 
worker in the 
Democratic party. 
He is a member of 
the C. B. L. and 
is the secretary of 
the Hibernian so- 
ciety. 

Leach's Distil- 
lery- A distiilei-y 

was erected on 
the bank of Mud 
creek by J a c o I) 
Leach of Litch- 
field, Ct., in 1S()9. 
The building was 
removed when 
the c a n a i went 
through the vil- 
lage. Then Leach 
and Jos. M. Dem- 
mon went into bus- 
iness on the north 
side of Water st. 



A. E. Burnett, a merchant in Lyons for- 
more than a quarter of a century, and promi- 
nent in public affairs, is (jne of the active Repub- 
licans of the county. He represented Lyons on 
the Board of Supervisors in 1889, '91 and '93-'4. 
He is also prominent in Masonic circles, and was 
Master of Humanity Lodge, No. 406, in 1900 and 
190L He was born in Phelps, Ontario county, 
April 29, 1852. His father, Harvty Burnett, (')f 
i-evolutionary descent, was also born in that 
town. James Burnett, his grandfather, came 
fi-om Oi-ange Co.. N. Y., about 1800. 

Mr. A. E. Burnett attended the Phelps Union, 




UUSS.'II. I'lM.t. 



A. E. BIIRNETT S RESIDENCE. 



"GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



73 




Borrowed Photo. 

C. H. TOWLERTON, M. D. 

and classical school, and Eastman's business col- 
lege at Poughkeepsie, where he was graduated 
in 1872. Coming to Lyons in 1875, he started in 
business in one of Parshalls blocks east of Ge- 
neva street, where he carried on trade alone 
until the formation of the firm of Burnett & Co. 
in 1887, which after Mr. Burnett had individual- 
ly purchased the Price block, moved into that 
building in Sept. 1900. Mr. Burnett married 
Laura J. Lane of Lyons Oct. 8, 1873, and they 
have one daughter, Frances H. Burnett. 

Burnett & Co., of which he is the senior mem- 
ber, has been doing a general merchandise busi- 



ness in Lyons since 1887. The location of the 
firm's store is one of the best, and oldest estab- 
lished stands for trade in the village, where as 
long back as 1820 E. B. Price carried on business. 
The building of course is commodious, built in 
1856 by Mr. Price, and now entirely occupied on 
the ground floor by Burnett & Co., and owned 
by Mr. A. E. Burnett. The firm also does a 
large business in Lehigh Valley coal, which it 
started by renting the vard of" the late James 
Forfer in 1889. In 1894 they bought the late 
Stephen H. Marshall yard. The firm also estab- 
lished the manufacture of fruit barrels, in 1899, 
on Geneva street, which has rapidly outgrown its 
beginning and has become an important indus- 
try. The firm are also the sole agents in the town 
of Lyons for all of the products, farm imple- 
ments, harvesting machinery, etc., of D. M. 
Osborne & Co., of Auburn, and has been since 
1903. 

Charles H. Towlerton, M. D., with a con- 
siderable practice in Lyons and vicinity which 
he has built up in comparatively few years, has 
also other interests of a financial nature in Lyons 
and is individually active in promoting the busi- 
ness interests of the village, as well as promi- 
nent in its social life. The family of James 
Towlerton, the father of Dr. Towlerton, was 
among those that settled in the town of Butler, 
Wayne Co. James Towlerton came from Leeds, 
Eng., in 1846, and directly located his home in 
Butler. 

Dr. Towlerton was educatetl in the district 
school, the Leavenworth Institute where he was 
graduated in 1886, and the Medical College of the 
University of the City of New York which 
granted him the diploma in 1889. 

He was then appointed one of the Medical 
Staff of Bellevue Hospital, New York, for the 
term of two years. At the expiration of his 
hospital service he received the appointment of 
surgeon on the Netherland-American steamship 




Kussell, Photo. 



DR. C. H. TOWLERTON S RESIDENCE. 



74 



"GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 




LEDYARD SPEKD CUYLER, 
t'ouiiDv CUeik. 

line. Resig-ning that position in 1892 he located 
in Lyons and established a general practice here. 
Dr. Towlerton married Nellie E., the daughter 
of Fletcher S. Johnson of Wolcott at the age of 
2G. Their home on William street is one of the 
prettiest and Jiiost comfortable in the village. 
He is an active member of the Wayne Co. Medi- 
cal Society and of the Alumni of Bellevue Hos- 
pital. 

The First Elections for county officers in 
Wayne county were held May 6, 1823, at S. 
Hyde's tavern and at Miller's Basin; on Mav 7 



at J. Albaugh's tavern and D. C. Price's inn, 
and on May 8 at Woolsey's tavern. Price's and 
Woolsey's were located in Lyons village and Al- 
baugh's in Alloway. Hyde's was at Lock Berhn. 

Ledyard Speed Cuyler is one of the promi- 
nent and influential Republican leaders of Wayne 
county and is at present chairman of the Repub- 
can County Committee and County Clerk, which 
latter position he has held since 1893. and is now 
serving his fourth term. He was nominated 
each time by the unanimous vote of his party. 
His administration of the county clerk's office 
has been characterized by efficiency and econ- 
omy, and it is a recognition of this fact on the 
part of the people which has led to his repeated 
re-elections. As chairman of the Republican 
County Committee Mi-. Cuyler has displayed a 
remar'kahle genius for politics and his complete 
mastery of the details of party organization 'nas 
resulted under his administration in a largely in- 
creased Republican vote in the county. 

Ledyard S. Cuyler was born at Aurora, Cayuga 
Co., N. Y. The first twenty years of his life 
were spent on a farm. In early life he became 
active in politics and in 1870 was appointed to a 
l^lace in the New York custom house, a position 
which he rilled with ci'edit and ability foi' fifteen 
years. He then returned to Wayne county and 
located on his father's farm at Pultneyville, a 
handsome country home near the shore of Lake 
Ontario, where he resided until he was elected 
county clerk, when he took up his residence in 
Lyons. He was elected chairman f)f the County 
Committee in 1899, serving at the head of his 
party organization ever smce and being again 
re-elected by the unanimous vote of the com- 
mittee on Se))t. 2, 1904. He is now engaged in 
conducting the Republican campaign in this 
county with his characteristic energy and ability, 
Mr. Cuyler has repeatedly represented Wayne 
county to the Republican State conventions. 

Mr. Cuylei- is a son of Samuel C. Cuyler. who 




Kusscll, Plioto. 



LEDYARD SPEED CI'YLER'S RESIDENCE. 



"GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



75 




GEORGE KENT, 
D(^l)vit.v County Clci-k. 



GEORGE T. KENT. 






was a native of Aurora, N. Y., and who married 
Julia Elizabeth Speed, a descendant of an old Vir- 
ginia family of that name. In 1832 Mr. Cuyler's 
parents settled in Pultneyville. N. Y.. where 
Mr. Cuyler purchased what 
is now the old Cuyler home- 
stead. Ml-. Samuel C. Cuylei' 
was a prominent and influen- 
tial citizen and was identified 
with the Republican party 
from its birth, being elected 
State Senator in 1856, he be- 
ing the fii-st Republican 
elected to that office from 
this district. He was a zeal- 
ous tempei'ance advocate and 
was prominent in the aboli- 
tion movement of his time. 
During his lifetime he was 
prominent in the business, 
social and political life of the 
county and was a conspicuous 
figure in Wayne county his- 
tory. 

George T. Kent was one 

of the old residents of Lyons 
who during the present year 
completed an honorable life- 
time full of vigorous Work, 
being at the time of his death 
90 years old. He was nearly 
the last of the early business 
men of the village, and was 
among the eai'liest of the 
active members of Grace 
Episcopal church, who was a 
great help in advancing the 
interests of the parish. 

Mr. Kent, a merchant 
tailor, came to Lyons and 
established that business in 
the building now occupied by 



Fehr Bros, on Canal street, in 1840. Some 
years later he associated himself with 
his brothers-in law, Ireland Bros, in the 
dry goods business. They bought the 
propei-ty where Rodenbach &Gucker are 
and carried on business there. Mr. Kent 
then formed a business connection with 
the banking establishment of Mirick & 
Cole in the present location of the Bank 
of Wayne, which continued down to the 
time he retired from business, about 
t.venty years ago. 

Mr. Kent was born in London, Eng- 
land, Jan. 5. 1814, and died at Lyons 
Jan. 8, 1904, a life which spanned the 
whole period of the world's greatest of 
inventions, the use of steam and elec- 
tricity. When he was a boy his ambition 
sent him out into the world and he trav- 
eled considerably. About 1830 he sailed 
for Quebec and during the ensuing ten 
years lived in various cities of Canada. 
"Finally in 1840, as has been stated, he 
came to Lyons. On February 4. 1845, he 
married Mai'tha Rebecca, a daughter of 
the late Rev. Daniel Ireland, a Methodist 
circuit preacher of those times, whose 
family gave to their early home in Al- 
bany county the name of Ireland Cor- 
ners. Rev. Mr. Ireland finally purchased what 
was afterwards known as the Ryder fai-m, 
two miles north of Lyons, where he and 
his family settled. Eight children were bom of 




Jjvons Kppublican. 

THE COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE. 



76 



"GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 




Husscll. IMintd 
MAJOR A. 



VKKDKR, A. M., M. I). 



the marriage of Mi-. Kent and Miss Ii-eland — 
Lillie, Daniel, George, John, Byron, AHce. Ada 
and Martha. All are now living except Lillie 
and Daniel. Mr. Kent was always a conspicu- 
ous figure in village affairs and active in politics, 
at various times holding the offic-es of village 
clerk, poormaster and assistant internal revenue 
collector. He filled different positions in the 
church with credit to himself and was zealously 
attached to the cause of the parish. 

George Kent, special deputy county clerk, 
has a record for continuous service in the County 
Clerk's office which is rarely equalled. Indeed, 
those having bus- 
iness in that office 
would as quickly 
m i s s h i ni i f h e 
were to leave, as 
any of the neces- 
aary conven- 
iences, so well in- 
formed of proced- 
ure and the busi- 
ness of the oflice 
is he. 

Mr. Kent was 
born in Lyons Oct. 
2, 1849. and at- 
tended the Union 
school of the vil- 
lage. Studying 
law with that well 
known and able 
lawyer, John H. 
(^amp, in 1867 and 
1880, inclusive, 
Mr. Kent was ad- 
mitted to the bar 
in 1881. In the 
meantime he be- 
came an active 
worker in the Re- 
publican party 
and has since 
been steadfast to 



the pai-ty. He served as justice of the peace 
in 1884 and 1886, inclusive, and was elected police 
justice in 1887, serving one term. He entered 
the County Clerk's office in August, 1888, and 
was made special deputy clerk in 1889. Mr. 
Kent is prominent in Masonic circles. He was 
Master of Humanity Lodge, No. 406, three years 
and was Deputy Grand Master and Grand Stand- 
ai-d Bearer of the Grand Ledge of the State of 
New York, two years each. 

Major A. Veeder. A. M., M. D.. was born at 
Ashtabula, O.. Nov. 2. 1848. Among the insti- 
tutions in which he was educated was Union 
College, Schenectady. In the classical depart- 
ment he was graduated in 1866 and in the colle- 
giate course in 1870. For several years he was 
principal of Ives Seminary at Antwerj), N. Y. 
Then he studied at Leipzig University, Germany, 
and in the University of Buffalo, where he was 
graduated in the medical department. In the 
same year, 1883, he began that long and success- 
ful practice which he has tVJlowed in this village, 
and in the earliest part of which he was asso- 
ciated with Dr. E. W. Bottume. 

For about eighteen years Dr. Veeder served as 
health officer of the village or town, occupying 
both positions at different times, and while so 
engaged became prominent throughout the coun- 
try for the introduction to science of many new 
discoveries of value in public sanitation. He has 
distinguished himself as an authority in hygiene 
and meteorology. His study of the microscop- 
ical world has also given him a high standing in 
that field of research, and he is regarded as an 
expert in medico-legal cases. 

In all of these lines of professional work Dr. 
Veedei' has written a great deal for the public 
press and professional journals and is the editor 
of many pamphlets treatmg of these several sub- 
jects that are regarded as standard works. ^ 

During the Spanish-American war Dr. Veedet 
was the first to make known the fact that 




DR. M. A. VKKDER S RliSlDENCE. 



"GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



77 



typhoid germs are carried about by flies, and are 
nourished in certain soils; and it was upon his 
authority that the medical department of this 
government acted in the successful work it ac- 
complished in preventing the spread of typhoid 
fever in ikiha and in tne Soutii American cam- 
paigns of the United States army. Dr. Veeder 
WKt the first to prove to the satisfaction of med- 
ical authorities tnat typhoid lives in ice; and it 
was due to his writings that the leading institu- 
tions of New York adopted the open air treat- 
ment for consumptives. 

Dr. Veeder is a member of several distin- 
guished scientific societies, including the Ameri- 
can Society of Microscopists, of which he is vice- 
president; the American Association for the Ad- 
vancement of Science; and the State Medical 
Association. 

The doctor is of Holland descent, his line of 



school, where many young people of the wealthy 
families were prepared for college. The build- 
ing, as the name indicates, was octagonal in 
form, surmounted by a cupola, and was ap- 
))roached over a gravel walk crossing the terrace, 
on the summit of which the building stood. 
Surrounding it was a grove of fine hemlock 
trees. Rut the curious part of the affair was 
the interior arrangement. 

The entrance was through an entry-way in a 
projection to the building. The octagonal form 
was retained on the inside. The teacher occu- 
pied a raised dias in the centre of the room, sur- 
rounded by two rows of seats for the classes. 
Midway between the floor and the ceiling was a 
balcony. On the balcony and on the floor there 
was a curtained recess for each of the eight 
sides of the room— sixteen in all — which was a 
study room set apart for a pupil. Sixteen pupils 




Courtesy Lyons Republican 

THE OLD SHULER MILL- 

ancestry beginning in America with Simon Vol- 
kertse Veeder, who settled in New York in 1644. 
He is an active member of the Holland society 
of New York. Dr. Veeder in 1872 married Mary 
E., the daughter of Peleg Wood of Schenectady, 
N. Y. They have two sons and two daughters, 
Albert F. and Willard H. and Sarah E. and 
Martha A. 

Miss Sarah Veeder is a graduate of Cornell 
University. She has studied art in Greece and 
is now the professor of Physics in the Hugenot 
College of Cape Colony. 

Octagonal School With Curtained Alcoves 
for Students:— The Octagonal Schoolhouse, as 
Mrs. DeWitt Parshall remembers it in 1830 or 
'32, was built on the hill, northeast of the Wil- 
liams residence, and was conducted as a private 



-Burned Aug. 6, 1896. 

could thus be accommodated, one in each booth, 
which, considering that it was an expensive 
school, was ample accommodation for the usual 
attendance. 

There was a bell suspended in the cupola. The 
building was burned about 1838, Mrs. Parshall 
thinks. 

Medical Society— The Wayne County Medi- 
cal Society was organized in the Presbyterian 
church building— the structure now known as 
the "Glover house," which then stood on Queen 
street— June 2, 1823. The officers then elected 
were Dr. Gain Robinson president. Dr. John 
Lewis vice-president. Dr. Wm. White secretary, 
Dr. Elisha Mather treasurer and Drs. J. B. 
Pierce, R. W. Ashley, A. L. Beaumont, D. 
Chase and M. Jewell censors. 



78 



"GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 




CYRIL FULTON, M. D. 

Dr. Cyril Fulton, although one of the later 
comers among' the physicians of Lyons, has es- 
tablished a large practice and identified himself 
with several organizations in the profession. He 
takes considerable interest in the Order of Elks, 
which has a laige number of members in Lyons 
who regard the d'ictor as one of the most useful 
to the welfare of the lodge. 

Dr. Fulton was born at Cornwall, Ont., Cana- 
da. Nov. 11, lf<H8; the son of Hon. 0. Fulton. 
M. P., and a dirc-ct descendant of Robert Fulton, 
the earliest d-z-monstrator of the practical utility 
of steamboats. Dr. Fulton's mother was Mary 
Catharine Wyatl. From the Cornwall High 
school Dr. Fuiton went to the McGill University 
at Montreal, Quebec, graduating there in 1892, 
and afterwards to the Queens University 
at Kingston, Ont., where he was gi'adu- 
ated in 1894. The next year he located 
at F'ort Covington, Franklin Co., N. Y. 
After establishing a large practice here 
he was compelled to seek a new location 
on account of continued ill health. He 
gave up practice at Fort Covington in 
Novembei-, 1899. 

In August, 1891, he married Mary Eliz- 
abeth Johnson of Iroquois, Ont., Canada. 
On April 17, 1895, he was licensed to 
practice medicine by the University of 
the State of New York. He is a licen- 
tiate of the Royal College of Physicians 
and Surgeons of Canada . a fellow of the 
Rochester Academy of Medicine; and a 
member of the Ri-itish Medical Associa- 
tion, the Franklin County Medical Soci- 
ety, the Wayne County Medical Society 
and the Central New York Medical Soci- 
ety. He is employed as surgeon by the 
New Yoi-k Central Railroad Com{)any. 

Cholera Morbus in the {pioneer days 
of Lyons was the most dreaded of all com- 
plaints. A village paper in the early 
twenties published the following remedy: 
"Take a half-grown chicken, stripped of 



its feathers and entrails, and while it is warm, 
place it in a gallon of boiling water, add a little 
salt and continue boiling a half hour. Give the 
patient a half tumbler of the liquid as often as 
he can take it until he is relieved." 

Hubbard W. Putney was one of the well 
known pioneers in manufacturing circles in the 
early days of Lyons, coming to this village in 
1840, then a young man, learning to make up 
wire cloth for useful purposes here, and then 
carrying on the manufacture of fanning mills 
for some years. He first worked for Mr. Hobbs 
six months in the old Centre building (which is 
described on another page), then carried on hisi 
own business in the .same building and after- 
wards in the brick block which he erected on 
Geneva street in 1872. 

Mr. Putney was born in Hampshire Co., Mass.,. 
March 28, 1819. Before coming to Lyons he lived 
for a time at Greece, N. Y. In his twenty-fourth 
year he married Clara A. Wilds of Litchfield, 
Ct. Then he built the house on Broad and Wil- 
liam streets which was afterwards his home and 
is now the home of his son E. B. Putney. He 
ilied March 8. 1897. 

E. B. Putney an inventor ami lai-gely the 
manufacturer (jf his own inventions, was born 
at Lyons, May 10, 18.5."! anil was educated in the 
Lyons public schools, the Cayuga Lake Acade- 
my at Aurora, N. Y., and the Hudson River In- 
stitute at Claverack, N. Y. In 1878 hj engaged 
in the pump busiuL'ss with a pailn-.^r named 
Woodruff for a short time and in 1884 with his 
bi-other in the grocery business. After six 
months he c(jntinue(i the business alone down to 
1893. In the meantime he had invented the 
Petit Ledger, a uni«iue and handy plan for keep- 
ing short accounts, which he began to manufac- 
ture in 1892 and which is sold in every state in 
the Union. In the spring of this year he began 
the manufacture of Moth Proof bags to protect 
clothing, which has pr^)ven a most useful inven- 
tion and promises a lai-ge sale. On Oct. 31. 1874,. 
he married Frances C. Bourne. They have three 
daughters, Mrs. Elliott L. Cummings, Mrs. R. 
Fre(i'k Lytle and Miss Millie Putney, all of Lyons. 




H. W. PUTNKY. 



K. B. PUTNEY. (Bonis, Photo.. 



"GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



79 




STEPHEN MARSHALL. 



HIRAM MARSHALL. 



Stephen Marshall, one of the pioneers of 
Lyons, was born in Greenwich, Conn., in 1807. 
He married Mary Smith of that place and came 
to Lyons with his wife and two children in 1831. 
In 1834 he started a shoe business on Water 
.-street, and later built and occupied the block on 
Water street now occupied by George Marzolf. 
In 1850 he engaged in the lumber and coal busi- 
ness, being the first dealer in the county to han- 
dle coal, and at the time of his death being the 
largest coal and lumber dealer in the county. 
He was one of three commissioners appointed 
to build the present Court House and Wayne 
County Jail, and had direction of the building of 
the present Methodist church, of which he was a 
prominent member and officer for many years. 
He erected many fine residences in Lyons and 



was largely engaged in farming and other 
pursuits by which he was enabled to 
make a handsome fortune. 

He was the father of eight children, 
two of whom survived him, Mrs. Head- 
ley of Rochester and Hiram Marshall of 
Lyons with whom he was associated in 
business for many years. 

He died April 1, 1883, at his home on 
William street, now occupied by his 
granddaughter, and was buried in the 
Rural Cemetery. 

Hiram Marshall, at the time of his 
death one of the most prominent busi- 
ness men in Lyons, was born July 7, 
1834. He was educated in Lyons and 
married Harriet, the daughter of Clark 
and Eliza Bartlett. In June, 1855, he 
went to New Orleans, and through un- 
foreseen circumstances became a mem- 
ber of the famous Walker Nicaraguan 
expedition consisting of ninety-two men 
of whom only thirteen, after sufl^ering 
almost incredible hardships and priva- 
tions, returned to the United States. 

He was engaged with his father, 
Stephen Marshall, in the coal and lum- 
ber business for years, and was prominent in 
politics, serving as trustee for several terms 
during which many important improvements 
were made, and in other capacities. He was the 
father of five children of whom only one, Mrs. 
J. W. Wolfe of this village, is now living. He 
died at his home on William street, January 
14, 1887. 

The Lyons Water Works Co. was organ- 
ized in 1886, and the following year it had com- 
pleted the present fine system, taking its sup- 
ply from wells, pumped into a standpipe fifty 
feet high and twenty feet in diameter. It uses 
the Davidson pumps with the capacity of 2,000,- 
000 gallons daily. The water is distributed 
through 9^0 miles of mains with the average 




■Russell,, Photo, 



J. W. WOLFE'S RESIDENCE. 



One of the Earlie.st Built Residences in Lyons : Erected in 1831 by Stephen Marshall ; Now the Home of His 

Grand-c'autrhter. 



80 



"GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 




Borroutr'd IMioto. 

DE WITT 



PAKSHALL. 



pressure of 8U Ihs. and a fire pressure of 1(JU lbs.. 
the average daily consumption being 37.5,000 
gallons. There are 57 hydrants. C. J. Ryan, 
jr., is president, Daniel Moran vice-president 
and treasurer, and Elizabeth M. Finigan secre- 
tary and superintendent. 

DeWitt Parshall more than any other indi- 
vidual during his time, in his active and ener- 
getic business ventures, contributed to the growth 
and advancement of Lyons. He was for years 
constantly employed in carrying on extensive 
business ventures of various kinds, banking. 
building, promoting and encouraging industries: 
cutting up tracts of fai-ming lands into village 

lots and directing 

his means towards i^ / ..-,. .J"^ 
enlarging the 
scope of L y o n s 
trade and com- 
merce. He was 
the first to see the 
benefits to be de- 
rived from a rail- 
road between 
Lyons and Sodus 
—connecting the 
coal fields of Penn- 
sylvania with 
Lake Ontario 
across this section 
of the state; and 
he invested a 
large sum of 
money to promote 
the Lyons and 
Sodus railroad. A 
bitter fight was 
waged against the 
project, but he 
was as good a 
fighter as his op- 
ponents. That 



Lyons did not get the railroad is undoubtedlj' 
because he died before the courts had settled 
the controversy. That the road was constructed 
later justified his judgment in the matter. That 
it went by the way of Newark, the next village 
west of Lyons, was because the hand of Mr. Par- 
shall was not in the final pi'oject. 

Mr. Parshall took great interest in Grace 
Episcopal church, of which he was the chief sup- 
porter. He left the society $10,000. His many 
acts of benevolence, performed quietly and little 
known to the public, testified to the greatness of 
his character and his warm heart. To Hobart 
college he made a bequest of 15,000. A man of 
such sterling qualities, largeness of mind, breadth 
of charactei- and great sweep of horizon the vil- 
lage could not afford to lose. 

DeWitt Parshall was born at Palmyra, Wayne 
Co., N. Y., March 23. 1812. Palmyra was then 
in Ontario county. During his attendance at 
Canandaigua academy he was room-mate and 
intimate with the distinguished Stephen A. 
Douglass. It was in his nineteenth year— about 
1831 — that he came to Lyons to study law in the 
office of Gen. William H. Adams. In April, 
1838, the year he was admitted to the bar, he 
married Susan, the daughter of Samuel Hecox, 
an active and prominent business man of Lyons. 

The next year he opened a law office in Lyons 
but soon after formed a co-partnership with 
.Judge Theron R. Strong with offices in Palmyra. 
Mr. Parshall was at Palmyra only a year or less. 
In the meantime his real estate and building 
enterprises at Lyons were continued uninter- 
ruptedly. At one time he owned nearly a half 
of the ground covered by the east half of the 
village. That tract lying east of Phelps street 
and north of Holly street he purchased when it 
was only pasture and groves and he cut it up 
into building lots and streets; also reserving a 
large piece for a village cemetery which he laid 
out and sold in lots: and which is now Rural 
Cemetery. He also individually and in company 
with Samuel Hecox put uj) several business 
blocks. It is safe to say that so exten.sive were 
his realty operations that at one time and another 
he bought and sold neai'lv half of the village. 




KnssfU, Plioti.. 



MR.S. 1)K WITT I'AKSHALL'S KE.SIDENCE. 



"GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



81 




SAVIUEL HECOX. 

In 1852 he ventured int(j banking, opening a 
private banking house in the upper part of a 
building on Canal street. It is now the Lyons 
National Bank. 

Mr. Parshall invested very largely in Michigan 
and Iowa lands, but his greatest activity was at 
home. He bought the Shaker tract of 2,000 
acres at Great Sodus Bay and sold off 300 ao-es, 
including sites for summer cottages. He was 
always anxious to make his operations tend to- 
ward" the building up of a village. He wanted 
to see thriving hamlets spring uj) out of his own 
active resources ; he made his speculations profit- 
able to himself and at the same time directed 
them into the building of urban communities, 
rea'izing that the village that grows is where 
employment and prosperity abound. 

On occasions he consented to serve in public 
office connected with his village and town, and 
while he was always heard on public questions 
of the day his tastes were not in the direction of 
public office; although he did serve a term in the 
Legislature. He carved his fortune by his own 
hands, beginning when a student by 
earning his own support through r^ ^ 

teaching, surveying, doing clerical ' 
work in the County Clerk's office and i 
drawing conveyances and other leg.il i 
papers. 

Mr. and Mrs. Parshali had thr-j 
children, two sons and a daughte.'. 
Tne eldest, Henry, died at the age of 
32 years, leaving a wife and thr v' 
children. The second son died, un- 
married, when 25 years old. Th- 
daughter, Catharine, married Dr. I). 
S. Chamberlain, a rising physician 
whose business push and ability made 
him a useful supporter of Mr. Par- 
shall in the latter's plans for invest- 
ment during the later years of his life. 

The death of Mr. Parshall, which 
occurred May 12, 1880, cut short many 
plans which he had devised to carry 



out what would have given Lyons a much greater 
impetus. 

Mr. Parshall's own family was among the 
earliest to settle in Wayne county. His father, 
Nathan, who was of French Huguenot descent, 
came here from Orange county in 1790 and set- 
tled upon land out of which he hewed a home- 
stead that is yet in the possession of his direct 
descendants. The same year Nathan Parshall 
came here, there arrived from New York James 
Galloway, supposed to be a descendant of Lord 
Galloway. It was Mary Ann, one of his daugh- 
ters, who was the mother of DeWitt Parshall. 
Her marriage to Nathan Parshall occurred in 
1806. 

Samuel Hecox was a man of considerable 
importance in Lyons, where he established a 
general store in 1819, on a site opposite the Hotel 
Baltzel. Shortly after, he erected a brick block 
south of the hotel, where he carried on business 
awhile, and subsequently put up the brick block 
on the south-east corner of Geneva and Canal 
streets, and went into the hardware business 
there with A. L. Beaumont. He invested in 
other buildings in the village, and constructed a 
large mill on the present site of the Electi'ic 
Light plant which was run for a time by Mr. 
Dorscheimer, although Mr. Hecox controlled it. 
The race which gave the plant power and which 
is still in use, was planned and built by him. He 
was also contractor on several public works, in- 
cluding several locks on the canals in this state. 
Alone and in company with others he put up 
several buildings in the village of Lyons. 

Mr. Hecox was a man who made a great deal 
of money, yet who found time to devote to many 
things that were calculated to promote the best 
interests of the public and to elevate the stand- 
ard of intelligence in the community. He had a 
very nice home in the village— now known as 
the H. G. Hotchkiss homestead — where he took 
much pride in all that made his home elegant. 
Being interested in horticulture and agriculture 
he spent much time in cultivating field and gar- 
den products, and he introduced many fine fruits, 
raising them on his home grounds. No one else 
took greater pleasure in fine horses and none 
entertained more lavishly. 

Mr. Hecox was born in Connecticut (of Scotch 
descent), and his boyhood was spent on the large 
farm his father, Samuel, owned in Whitestown, 
Oneida Co., N. Y. Upon leaving home he en- 



"^'flwgF 



,4./M 



^:.U 



ALLOWAV— THH OCTAGONAL BLACKSMITH SHOP. 



82 



'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 




DK. DWKiHT SCOTT CHAMHKKI.AIN. 

^Hfjed for two years in the dry goods business at 
Skaneateles, Onondaga county, whence he came 
to Lyons— in 1819, as has been stated. He mar- 
ried Susan Stafford, who came from Utica in 
1814 and they had three childi-en, two of whom 
are living, Mrs. F. C. Brunck of Buffalo and 
Mrs. DeWitt Parshall of this village. The other 
was William Henry Hecox, who was a promi- 
nent lawyer at Binghamton, N. Y. 

In 1841 Mr. Hecox moved to Butt'aio where he 
l)ought 8(t acres on Main street, property in one 
of the best sections of the city and now woilh a 
fabulous sum. It afterwards went to Mi-. Par- 
shall, his son-in-law, who sold most of it before 
the boom in real estate had given it fancy values. 
Mr. Hecox. in 1862, after disposing of the prop- 
erty, came back to Lyons and bought the house 



where J. W. Hoag now lives. There he and his 
wife lived until both of them died, about four 
years later. 

Dr. Dwight Scott Chamberlain was for 

many years one of the strongest, most forcible 
and energetic of the bnsiness men in Lyons. 
Large ])roperty interests which he managed with 
a rare skill and acumen possessed by few, ren- 
dereil large returns. Although he studied for a 
professional career and followed it for a long 
time circumstances placed him in the position 
where he demonstrated that he po.ssessed .superior 
Inisiness ability. 

Dr. Chamberlain was born in Kent. Litchfield 
Co.. Ct., Feb. 22. 1839. and was descended fi-om 
ancestry who figured in revolutionary times in 
the patriot cause. Educated in the public schools 
and the Genesee College and Seminary at Lima, 
N. Y.. and afterwards pursuing a medical course 
in the University of the City of New York, he 
was admitted to practice in 1862, first engaging 
in hospital practice and afterwards as surgeon 
on a steamshi]) line. 

In February, 1863, he entered the service of 
the Union as assistant surgeon of the 138th 
New Yor-k regiment and served through the re- 
mainder of the war with high distinction in many 
of the most arduous campaigns and with untiring 
devotion to duty. Many acts of personal heroism 
are recorded of him in the annals of the Virginia 
campaigns, and they were followed by re])eated 
promotion until he leached the rank of Surgeon 
Bi'eveted Major. 

After his discharge from the army in June, 
1865, he practiced medicine in Syracuse for a 
short time. Then he came to Lyons and was in 
jiartnership with Dr. Edward W. Bottume until 
the spring of 1868, when he retired from active 
medical i)ractice and gave his whole attention t(i 
business interests with De Witt Parshall. in which 
he relieved Mr. Parshall t)f very much of thfe 
large and pressing business matters that com- 
manded the attention of both up to the time of 
Mr. Parshall's death. In the meantime Dr. 
Chamberlain took up the study of law and was 
admitted to pi-actice in 1874. 




i;u.s.-i^ii. ^--hMio. 



.MKS. I). S. CHAMHKKLAIN S KKSIDKNCK. 



"GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



88 



After Mr. Par-ihall's death in 1880, Dr. Cham- 
berlain, who was one of the executors, took 
entire control of the estate and managed it with 
such skill as to prove himself a worthy successor 
of Mr. Parshall as a financier. He was made 
the pi-esident of the Lyons National Bank and 
directed the affairs of that institution through a 
knowledge of banking and the adoption of con- 
servative methods that raised it to a high posi- 
tion as a financial institution. 

Until his death, which occurred May 11, 19u:i. 
Dr. Chamberlain was a man who had large busi- 
ness responsibilities. But his courtly address, 
unpretentious manner and social qualities were 
always conspicuously with him. Dr. Chamberlain 
married Katharine P., the daughter of DeWitt 
Parshall, in Oct. 1867, and to them were born 
two sons and a daughter, Dwight P. Chamberlain 
and Frederick W. Chamberlain of Lyons and 
Mrs. John David of Rochester. 



Newell Taft and Farnum White in 1816 began 
the manufacture of chairs in a frame building 
on the east side of Broad street. Taft was a 
contract builder and put up the stone work of 
the County House. He was also engaged with 
Mr. Seymour in plow manufacturing. Seymour 
had a blacksmith shop in the rear of the Broad 
street church, facing Church street. Taft & 
Seymour manufactured ("lute's patent plow. 

Mr. Taft put into his shop the first steam en- 
gine in Lyons. Finally his furnace and machine 
shops on the west side of Broad street became 
the biggest industry in Lyons. In 1866 it passed 
into the hands of Messrs. Wickson & VanWickle, 
and in 1869 the buildings were destroyed by fire. 

About 1880 Messrs. Demmon & Leach erected 
a bi-ewery on Water street, near the Canal 
bridge, which was burned. 

About the time of the war Col. Ira Mirick 
and his brother. Hiram, bought the old Centre 




Kii-~(11. I'hoi. 



LYONS NATIONAL BANK. 



Early Manufacturers; "Deacons" Gilbert and 

Taft were Central Figures in Early Times ; 

The First Steam Engine in Lyons: 

"Deacon" John Gilbert was the pioneer cabi- 
net maker of Lyons and John Stanton was the 
large wagon maker during the eai'liest years 
of Lyons. In 1810 Deacon Gilbert moved into 
the village and engaged in making aiticles of 
furniture and coffins by hand, as they were need- 
ed by the community. In 1840 he was engaged 
in making fanning mills, starting in the building 
that had been the Methodist "meeting house,"' 
which stood about on the site of Dr. Sheldon s 
residence. This building was burned, causing 
Mr. Gilbert an almost irreparable loss. Yet he 
refused to accept a purse of money that had 
been made up for him. Thousands of dollars 
worth of fanning mills — all made in parts but 
not put up— were destroyed. 

Zalomon Rice"s fanning mill factory was among 
the eai'liest, standing upon Bear street, then 
called "Nigger Hill." 



and were for yeai's large 



building malt hou^ 
maltsters. 

In 1841 H. G. Hotchkiss began the distiUingof 
essential oil, fi-om the peppermint, in the check- 
ered front building on Water street, and in 
recent years erected the large building across 
the street. 

In 1862 Messrs. Hale & Parshall began purify- 
ing peppermint oils, and bottled them under 
their own trade mark. 

Old Catharine District School This old 

district school building, one of the earliest frame 
schoolhouses in Lyons, stands on Catharine 
street and is now occupied by Mrs. Walter 
Bourne and her son. When it was first erected 
it stood in the edge of a wood. It has been used 
for a residence since 1844. Prior to that for five 
or six years it was vacant, having been used for 
a school up to the time it became vacant— how 
many years no living person is able to say. 



84 



•GRIP'S" HLST(JKICAL SOL'VENIK OF LYONS. 




Froju a DuguciTfot.v pc. 

DR. ROBERT WILLI.AMS .\SHLKV. 

Dr. Robert Williams Ashley was born April 
25, 1782, in DeerMeld. Mass.. and died April 12, 
1853, in Lyons, N. Y. He married, first, Nov. 24. 
1808, in Manchester, N. Y., Mary, the daughter 
of Samuel and Temperance Sawyei' Jones, who 
died Sept. 1835, by whom he had live children: 
Eliha, Samuel Jones, Mary Wdliams (Mrs. 
Hiram Gilbert Hotchkiss) of Lyons. William 
Frederick and Robert Williams. In Decembei', 
1836, he married Abigail, daughter of Samuel 
Barrett, by whom he had two children: Emily 
(Mrs. Dr. Oscar Cole Stout) and Miss Ella Ash- 
ley, both of Syracuse. 

Dr. Ashley adopted his father's profession. 
He came fi-om Deerlield in 1804. making the 
journey on horseback— going first to Rochester. 
On finding very few inhabitants there, he set- 
tled in Manchester, N. Y., removing to Lyons in 
1808. It was then almost a wilderness in the 
south end of the town of Sodus. He built the 
second fr'ame house, which is now occupied by 
Dr. Veeder. Dr. Ashley enjoyed a large prac- 
tice in Lyons and the .surrounding country. He 
was h(mored and beloved by all. His devotion 
to duty, his tender care of the .suffering and his 
charming personality are still remembered by 
the okler residents. He figured prominently in 
town affairs — was Supervisor and hekl other 
offices. He was well educated and had a large 
fund of general information. He was temperate 
in all things, always living according to his early 
Puritan training and was a promine!it member 
of the Presbyterian church. He contributed 120 
silve!' dollars to be cast into the bell hung in the 
first house of worship in the town. He was a 
grandson of Rev. Jonathan .Ashley, the Puritan 
preacher, the records of whose famous contro- 
versy with Rev. Jonathan Edwards are still pre- 
served in the museum at Deerfield, Mass. 

Hiram G. Hotchkiss, whose career was syn- 
onymous with the industrial growth of Lyons, 
nearly seventy years ago originated the growing 
of peppermint and the distilling of the oil in this 
country. He was the man whoopened the world's 
markets to the Wavne county oils and wlio made 



it possible for agriculturalists in this section to 
grow the plant with profit. His was the first 
oils to go out and they became famous, receiving 
the highe.st awards at the world's expositions, 
so that finally Mr. Hotchkiss became known far 
and near as the "Peppermint King. " He was 
also regarded as one of the fo)'emost citizens of 
Lyons — a genial, accommodating gentleman, a 
liberal dispenser of hospitality. 

Hiram Gilbert Hotchkiss was born at Oneida 
Castle, Oneida Co., N. Y., June 19, 1810, the 
eldest s(m of Leman Hotchkiss who came from 
Connecticut. In 1813 Leman Hotchkiss removed 
his family to Phelps, Ontario Co., where he en- 
gaged e.xtensively in farming, milling and gen- 
ei'al merchandising. He died in 1828 leaving his 
large business interests to his sons Hiram and 
Leman. The former was then only eighteen 
years old, but this op{)ortunity to develoj) his 
business cajjacity was not lost on him. The 
Hotchkiss Bros, in their business bought large 
(juantities of peppermint oil from the farmers 
who found the plant growing wild and who dis- 
tilled from it in kettles in a small way, bringing 
the oil to Hotchkiss Bros, in trade. Mr. Hotch- 
kiss finding there was no market in New York, 
bottled the oil and shij)])ed it to Hamburgh, where 
it found a ready sale on account of its purity. 
.A.S the bottles bore the name and address of the 
Hotchkiss Bros, they soon began to receive 
orders direct fi-om all parts of the world. The 
sudden demand for more oil than was being dis- 
stilled in a crude way led Mr. Hotchkiss to equip 
a distilling plant and the farmers to the cultiva- 
tion of pejipermint. This was the beginning of 
their enormous business, which reached an annual 
shipment of 300,000 ])ounds. H. G. Hotchkiss 
himself became a lai-ge grower of the plant, but 
the supply for his business came not only from 
Wayne county but from large fields of the plant 
cultivated in Michigan and Indiana. 

Mr. Hotchkiss married Mary Williams the 
daughter of Dr. Robert Williams Ashley of Lyons 
in 1833. Their children were Ellen C* (Mrs. A. 
D. Adams), Mary Beecher (Mrs. T. F. Attix) 
deceased, Emma T. (Mrs. C. H. Piatt). Lizette 




HIKA.M <;. HOTCHKISS. 



••GRIP'S HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



85 



■C. (Mrs. W. H. Parshall), Annie A. (Mrs. C. H. 
Dickerson) deceased, Leman Hotchkiss deceased, 
Adriana D. (Mrs. W. H. Williams), Clara L. 
deceased, Calvin Hotchkiss, H. G. Hotchkiss and 
Alice M. A. (Mrs. W. G. David). Mr. Hotch- 
kiss retained personal charge of his business 
until the dav of his death, which occurred Oct. 
27. 1897. 

Personal Recollections of General W. H- 
Adams. — Gen. Adams came to Lyons from 
Bloomfield. Ontario Co., in 1820, and built the 
house on Phelps street now occupied by Charles 
Zimmerlin, which he afterwards sold to Judge 
Ambrose Spencer. He removed to Buffalo and 
lived there for several years. He became inter- 
ested in the project of connecting Sodus Bay 
with the Erie canal, and removed to Clyde. He 
returned to Lyons in 1849 and repurchased his 
former home of the Spencer estate. He served 
as Adjutant in the war of 1812, and was Brig.- 
Gen. of Militia of the State. He was always 
prominently identified with p-ihli? affairs; was at 



went from the West Indies to California and 
died in three days after landing at San Francisco. 
The death of three children the same year at 
great distances from home was a tragical event 
to occur in one family. William Henry, Jr., 
died in his eighteenth year. Edward died in his 
sixth year. Alexander Duncan was born on 
Christmas Day, 1832. He entered Hobart Col- 
lege in 18.50 and became a Civil Engineer. He 
was married on June 19, 1856, to Ellen C, daugh- 
ter of Hiram G. Hotchkiss, by whom he had two 
children, Mary Ashley (Mrs." H. M. Doubleday 
of Pittsbui-gh) and Elizabeth Clark, who died in 
early childhood. On the breaking out of the war 
he raised the first Company of Volunteers in the 
county. He went to the front as Captain of Co. 
B., 27th New York. He was promoted to Lieu- 
tenant Colonel after the first battle of Bull Run, 
and to Colonel after Antietam. At the expira- 
tion of his term of service he returned to Lyons 
and became Principal of the Union school, which 
position he held for several years. He died Oct. 
28, 1872. Maria Sibley was the second wife of 




Kussell, Phot. 



THE H. G. HOTCHKISS ESSENTIAL OIL CO. 



one time a m amber of the Legislature and was 
also County Judge; and held other important 
offices. He was one of the founders of the 
Parish of Grace church, and his name is fii'st on 
the list of vestrymen. He was married in 1817 
to Eliza Jane, daughter of John Clark of Canan- 
daigua, by whom he had twelve children. Three 
(if them died in infancy. Mrs. Adams died in 
June, 1855. John Clark, the eldest son, was 
graduated from Harvard in 18o9, and from the 
Harvard Law school in 1843. He was for sev- 
eral years tutor at Harvard University. He 
practiced his profession in Boston and New York, 
and died in the latter city in January, 1874. 

Jane Eliza married Henry J. Ruggies of New 
York and died in the Island of Curacoa, West 
Indies, in 1854, where she had gone for her 
health. James Bemis was graduated at Harvard 
and adopted the medical profession. He also 
died of yellow fever in the West Indies in 1854. 
Maik Sibley was graduated at Harvard and 
practiced law with his father at Lyons. He 



Henry J. Ruggies. She died in New York City 
in 1894. Charles Eliot was a Civil Engineer. He 
was the Lieut. Col. of the 1st Missouri Volun.. 
teers and was captured just before the battle of 
Pittsburgh Landing, while making a topograph- 
ical map. He was held as prisoner of war for 
some months, and died at St. Louis in January, 
1866. 

Gen. Adams, with his courtly manners and 
commanding presence, is still held in remem- 
brance by the older residents. He was veritably 
a gentleman of the old school. He died sudden- 
ly at Albany, in March 1865, whither he had 
gone in the endeavor to obtain a renewal of the 
charter of the Sodus Canal Co. before the Legis- 
lature. 

George C. Strang cleared $60,000 in trade 
in Lyons during the civil war. About twenty-one 
years old when he came to Lyons, in 1843 or '4, 
he was a salesman for Thurston & Co., and in 
1854 formed the firm of Strang & Guile. Strang 
retired in 1873. 



86 



''GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 




June 



1)K. WILLIAM G. DAVID. 

Dr. Wm. (j, David occupied an eminent place 
in his profession. With a Hberal education, a 
keen mind, a clear insig'ht into details, a well- 
balanced temperament, an unflagging energy and 
a love for his profession he possessed the essen- 
tials of the best type of a physician, his skill and 
genial manner imparting encouragement to those 
who called for his services. In positions of 
trust and honor, as a citizen of generous im- 
pulses and with true devotion to his wide circle 
of friends and as a scholar he shone conspicu- 
ously. His })ositiun among his })r(>fessional breth- 
ren was that of a firm and conscientious advisei-; 
and he occupied a commanding place in the 
Wayne County Medical Society. 

Dr. David was born in Amherst, N. H 
12, 1831. He prepared for college at 
Phillips Academy. Andover, Mass., and 
entering Williams in 1S48 was gradu- 
ated there in 1S.")2. He obtained his 
medical education at Harvard where he 
was graduated in 18.54. 'i'hat year, in Oc- 
tober, he married Sarah M., the daughter 
of Newell Taft of Lyons. In the mean- 
time, after a valuable hospital practice. 
he located in Dubuque, la., where he 
practiced until 1859, when he came to 
Lyons and went into partnership with 
Dr. E. W. Bottume. In ISdl he was com- 
missioned sui'geon in the newly organ- 
ized 98th regiment U. S. V., and he 
sei'ved at the front until the close of the 
war, participating in McClelian's cam- 
paigns in Vii'ginia and in the later cam- 
paigns in the South and West. At the 
capture of Port Hudson he was promoted 
to Brigade Surgeon. Returning liome 
at the close of hostilities he i)i-actice(l 
in Lyons until his death, which occurred 
Aug! 17, 1877. Dr. David after the war 
held the j)<)sition of Examining Surgeon 
for Pensions and was a meml)er of the 
Board of Education. He was survived 
by his wife and three sons, Wm. G., 
Edward T. and -lohn David. The first 



and last named are proprietors of the Rochester 
Daily Herald. Edward is a resident of Wheat- 
land", Wy. 

Marcus Johnson Van Marter, elder son of 
Joseph Riggs and Jane Johnson Van Marter, was 
born in Lyons, N. Y., May 2, 1854. His boyhood 
was passed in Lyons where he attended school, 
afterward taking a business course at Ames 
Business College in Syracuse. He then went to 
Bi'ooklyn whei'e he was engaged in the grocery 
business. Having an opportunity to get into 
business nearer home, he, in company with John 
C. Thurston opened a grocery store in Medina 
under the firm name of Thur.ston & Van Marter. 
After five years in Medina he returned to Lyons 
where he was appointed Special Deputy County 
Clerk under John McGonigal. At the expiration 
of his term he entered into partnership with his 
brother, publishing the Lyons Sentinel, now the 
Wayne County Review, which they continued to 
the'time of his death. Dec. 2t>, 1887. 'Mack," 
as he was familiarly called, made many fi'iends 
by his genial, warm-hearted dispositi(m. 

Irving Joseph Van Marter, yoimgest son of 
the late Josef)h Riggs and Jane Johnson Van 
Marter (daughter of Rev. Mark Johnson, a pio- 
neer Methodist minister of Sodus), was born in 
Lyons Nov. 17, 1858. He was educated in the 
Lyons Union .school. After leaving school he 
enteied the office of The Lyons Republican, 
which then was owned and edited by William 
T. Tinsley. He was graduated from that otWce 
and in 1880 went to Peoria, 111., as city editor of 
the Peoria Democrat. His health failing, after 
a severe attack of pneumonia, he returned home 
and with his brother, M. J. Van Marter, bought 
out the newspaper entitled "Grin and Bear It." 
edited by the late John H. Atkinson. The name 
was changed to The Lyons Sentinel, which name 
was retained until the death of the young men 
in 1887, both dying with consuinjjtion. Irving 
was a quiet, luiassuming young man, with a litei'- 
ary turn of mind from his boyhood. He won many 
friends and kept them. He died June 12, 1887. 




IltVlNG JO.SEPH VAN MARTER. 

MARCUS JOHN.SON VAN MAKTHK. 



"GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



87 



The Centre Building, owned by Towlerton, 
Cuyler & Co., is one of the best strictly office 
buildings in Lyons and is occupied by a good class 
of tenants. It was built by Albertine M. Foster 
in 1X97, on the site of the original Centre Build- 
ing which was the first large office structure 
erected in Lyons and was a landmark for many 
years. The description of the old building ap- 
pears in another sketch ("Lyons in 1852.") 

In the main entrance, cut in stone, it is stated 
that "Zaiomon Rice built the Centre Building in 
is;n— Repaired by Ira Mirick 1867-Rebuilt by 
Albertine M. Foster. 1897." 

Early Taverns — John Riggs' farm house was 
the first tavern in Lyons. Opened to accommo- 
date new comers in 1800, it was not with the 
view of making it a permanent tavern. The old 
house served the original purpose— a farmers' 
■dwelling— until it passed into the hands of the 
.loppa Land Company, which in 1821, tore it 



related in some manner to the distinguished Eng- 
lish admiral of that name, was the first landlord. 
Those who succeeded him were Mr. Satterlee, 
Joseph Judson (about 1825), Josiah Wright, 
Philip Dorscheimer (in its palmy days) ; Jarvis 
Landon, who gave the hotel its name and built 
the third story and balconies; James Patton, 
after whom it was called the Patton House. 
James Qj-aham took the hotel in 1854 and it was 
then called the Graham Heuse. 

During the time that Patton had it, the three 
hotels, in consequence of an obnoxious anti-liquor 
law agreed to close and keep closed until the law 
was repealed. Two hotels soon after opened, 
but Patton stubbornly refused to take the boards 
off from his windov/s until he had lost about all 
of his business. 

The second tavern opened in Lyons, about 1801, 
was that of Wm. Gibbs, who in a small way ac- 
commodated transients in his log house on the 
northeast corner of Broad and Church streets. 
Joseph Hathaway succeeded him and was in turn 




Russell, Photo. 



THE CENTRE BUILDING. 



down and rebuilt on its site an hotel, deeming it 
necessary to the community to put up a modern 
hostelry, something more imposing than the vil- 
lage then had, and on a site that would accom- 
modate the travel that was expected when the 
canal was opened, which was only a few years 
later. Built as it was the hotel became the reg- 
ular stage as well as packet house. 

The land company called it the Joppa House, 
but as the property changed ownership, the house 
changed names, and a short time after it lost the 
name Joppa House. A new tavern was erected 
on Geneva street which took that name and was 
ever afterwards known as the only tavern of that 
name. The original Joppa House afterwards 
became the Landon Hotel, The Patton House and 
The Graham House [see view page 60]. LTnder 
the latter name it was at last torn down giving 
place to a modern office building, the Sturgis 
block. 

Maj. Henry L. Woollsey, who was said to be 



succeeded by Messrs. Oaks and King, T. D. Gale, 
and Messrs. Brown, Hull and Camp. 

William Nelson's log residence was the first 
structure to occupy the northwest corner of 
Broad and Water streets, In 1807 Maj. Ezekiel 
Price bought it and built a frame lean-to in which 
he "opened store," using the log part for his 
residence as well as a tavern— the third public 
house opened in Lyons. On the same site Thomas 
Hawley erected a brick block, in which were 
stores and a tavei'n. 

Maj. Price in 1810 ei*ected a frame tavern on 
the present site of Congress Hall, which was 
known as Price's Inn. David C. Pi'ice followed 
the Major, his father, as landlord, and when in 
1824 iie died, the hotel was leased to Evan, Grif- 
fiths & Needham. E. B. Price, assuming control 
of the place, gave it the name the Wayne 
County Hotel. He was succeeded by Mr. Sprague 
and afterwards Philp Dorscheimer. Wm. Ashley 
and his brother-in-law, Wm. Mallory, were sub- 



'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 




ANDKKW FLINT SHKLDON, M. D. 
KAl.PH SHKLDON. M. U. ALBERT F 

sequently proprietors of the house. F"inally Wm. 
Smelt took the place and ^a\e it the present 
name. Congress Hall. This was in the early six- 
ties. The house afterwards took Hre, and in 1868 
the upper jiart was rebuilt by Heni-y Hano add- 
ing to the l)uildinj.i' a Mansard r<»<jf, giving it an 
extra story. Mr. Hano ran the hotel from Dec. 
10, 1869. to July 7. IS74. [See view on page 102.] 
The Exchange Hotel [see view on page 60] was 
erected by George Benton in 1825 on the site of 
Dr. Ambler's residence, the present site of the 
Hotel Baltzel. the southwest corner of Bioad and 
Pearl streets. Among hissuccessors were Messrs. 
Payne and Wah-ath. 



Dr. Andrew Flint Shel- 
don, son of Ralph Sheldon and 
Minerva Flint, was born in the 
town of Huron, Wayne Co., N. 
Y. . October 27, 1830, receiving 
his education at the district 
school and Red Creek Academy. 
He was graduated from the 
Medical Department of the 
University of New York in the 
spring of 1852 and has practiced 
his profession in Wayne county, 
N. Y., mostly since that time. 
He married Lucetta Salsbury 
in May 1855. There were boi-n 
to them six children, of which 
two are living. Dr. Ralph Shel- 
don of Albany. N. Y.. and Al- 
bert F. Sheldon of Lyons, N. Y. 
Dr. A. F. Sheldon was com- 
missioned as Assistant Surgeon 
by the Governor of the state of 
New York in August. 1861, and 
served in the war of the Rebel- 
lion with the 7th N. Y. Cavalry 
six months; about a month with 
the 78th N. Y. Infantry, and 
on General Wads worth's staff 
as Executive officer in the Med- 
ical Diiector's office in Washington, D. C, for 
a year and eight months when he was given 
charge of Campbell U. S. General Hospital at 
Washington, D. C, of which he had charge un- 
til the close of the war — about two years. 

Dr. Sheldon has the credit in the War Depart- 
ment of oi-iginating and putting into practical 
use the continuous tent hospital which became 
in general use during the war. He was com- 
missioned by Abraham Lincoln. President of the 
United States, as Assistant Surgeon U. S. Vol- 
unteers, October 4, 1862, and as Surgeon U. S. 
Volunteers, April l.'l 1863. President .^nilrew 
.Johnson commissioned Dr. Sheldon Hrevet Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel. August 15, 1865. for faill.fiil and 



SHELPON. 




Kussfll, Photo. 



INTERNATIONAL SlLVEIi «'().. FA( ToliY D. 



'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



89 



meritorious services. After the war he prac- 
"iced medicine at Pultneyville, N. Y., until Jan- 
uary, 1880, when he was elected Treasurer of 
Wayne county and moved to Lyons, serving in 
that office nine years, since which time he has 
practiced his profession at Lyons. He is a mem- 
ber of A. D. Adams Post, G. A. R., and Presi- 
dent of the Soldiers' and Sailors' Association of 
Wayne county. He was raised on the farm and 
has alwys taken a deep and lively interest in the 
betterment of farm life. He organized the Fire 
Relief Association of Wayne county, a grange 
association, which has proven a grand success 
and of great value to the farmers of Wayne 
county. He has been its seci'etary continuously 
since its organization. He is a member of the 
National Medical Association, the N. Y. State 
Medical Society and the Wayne Co. Medical So- 
ciety. Of his children three died in infancy. A 
daughter, Nora Bell Powers, died at early 
womanhood. Dr. Sheldon is a fair example of 
•.vhat a young man, who commences life without 



Lucetta Sheldon, was born March 14, 1872, at 
Pultneyville, N. Y. He received his education 
at the Lyons High School. He married Mary 
Carolyn Hersey of Watertown, N. Y., February 
5, 1895. He was secretary of the Silver Metal 
Mfg. Co. of Oswego, N. Y., and its superin- 
tendent for three years, and is now manager of 
the International Silver Company, Factory D, at 
Lyons, N. Y. , where he now resides. 

Early Physicians — Dr. Ambler, who lived 
on the present site of the Hotel Baltzel, was the 
first practicing physician in the village of Lyons. 
Among other of the earliest physicians here were 
Drs. Prescott and Willis. 

The records of the Wayne County Medical 
Society give the following pi'acticing physicians 
throughout the county who became members 
previous to the dates mentioned: 

1830— A. L. Beaumont, Daniel Chapman, Henry 




Russell, Photo. 



INTERNATIONAL SILVER CO. S EMPLOYES. 



First Row, left to right— John Seitz, diaries Kesslar. Henry Reiter, George Hessin^'er, William Voslmrjrh, Karl 
Engel. Ray Myers, Arthur En^el. George Wickman, Sefond Row - Henry Myers, sr., Henry Alforcl, Robert Mi-Mullen, 
Fred Voelzer', Charles Wilk, Albert F. Sheldon. George W. Styer. Harry D Button, P. J, Seanlon. Williau) Krngman. 
Third Row — Neil Stevens, Albert Timon, Simon Kesslar. Widiaiu Vi>elzer, sr., Thomas Murray, Joseph Dckiianty. 
Fred Kern, Tracey Nolta, George Haessig. Fourth Row— Claude P. Shuler. O.si-ar Czerny, William Parknian, Joseph 
Weeks, Charles Claa.ssen, Fiiend Soggs, August Altlu-n, .TdIiu Reyno ds, Chester ('(mipson, William Small, WilliaTU 
Matthes. Fifth Row— Joseph J. Dovine, George Mayer, John Pliilp. Floyd W. Campfield. Albert Holstead, Lewis 
Myers, Philip Buisch, Frank Cody, George Tillit.son. .Tames Higgius. Albert Haessie, George Eai'nst, William Crawford. 
Sixth Row— John Woobey, Henry Matthes, Hemy Myers, Elwin Parkman, Bert Feioek. 



any means, can accomplish by industry and per- 
severance. 

Ralph Sheldon, oldest son of Dr. Andrew F. 
Sheldon and Lucetta Salsbury, was born at Pult- 
neyville, N. Y., August 12, 1870. He was grad- 
uated at the Lyons High School in 1888 and at 
the Albany Medical College in 1892. He was 
Commander of the Sons of Veterans of the state 
of New York in 1900, in which organization he 
has always taken a lively interest. He married 
Margarette Klinck of Lyons, N. Y., Nov. 6, 
1895, and located in Albany, N. Y., where he 
has since practiced his profession and where he 
now resides. 

Albert F. Sheldon, son of Dr. Andrew F. and 



Hyde, Luther Cowan, G. Robinson, A. Doane, 
•J. S. Eggleston and W. H. Peckham. 

1850-Wm. Green, H. G. House, E. R. Wright, 
A. W. Marsh. 

1854 — Samuel T. Ninde, Joseph Smith, Dr. 
Spollsberg. '55-J. B. McNett, L. Whitcomb, 
John Coventry. '59— Dr. Yale. 

1860- George Kellogg, D. H. Armstrong, H. 
D. Whitbeck, L. A. Crandall, D. W. C. Van 
Slyck, W. G. Elliott. '62-A. D. Teachout, Dr. 
Hopkins. '63-Dr. Howe. '64-W. G. Smith. 
'65- L. A. Reeves. '66— Dr. Sutpen, H. N. Burr, 
Hartwell Tompkins. '67— S. A. Russell. '69- 
F. M. Pasco. 

1871-C. S. Lacey, Wm. G. Burnett. '72- S. 



90 



"GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 




WILLIAM VAN MARTER. 



BURTON HAMMOND 



H. Plumb, H. J. C. Rose, Dr. Gresne. '73- 
Lsvvis Ccon. '74 — Alexander Say res, Thaddeus 
S. Field, S. D. Rhodes. '75-Salo Briggs, Row- 
land Thomas. '77-J. E. Bradshaw. ^S-W. G. 
Thirkell, W. L. Godfrey, P. S. Rose, J. C. 
Lament. '79 — Cai'l Wormser. 

188a-G. H. Cook, H. L. Babcock. '81-C. C. 
Hall. '82-E. H. Curtis. Sb-M. B. Huff, N. 
M. Campbell. 

1890-John Rsmer. '93-John H. Patters m. 
'96-C. P. Jennings. ■97-L. H. Craft. 

William Van Marter was born in Lyons, New 
York, December 18, 1818, and received his edu- 
cation in the schools of his town. By profession 
he was a lawyer, but in 1861 he stopped practic- 
ing, except before the Pension Department. 
He was a staunch Republican and held several 
offices at the hands of his party. In 1883 and 



1884 he was a member of the Republi- 
can State Committee. In 184-5 he mar- 
r.id Miss Clarissa Dorsey, daughter of 
Thomas E. Dorsey, by whom he had three 
children. William Van Marter died Octo- 
ber 14, 1892. 

Burton Hammond was born in Dover 
Plains, New York, Oct. 18, 1856, and re- 
ceived his education in the schools of his 
town and Williston Seminary, East 
Hampton, Mass. After a brief mercan- 
tile career he entered the law office of 
T. & H. D. Hufcutt at Dover Plains, and 
completed his legal education with the 
Hon. D. W. Gurnsey of Poughkeepsie. 
At the age of twenty-two he was ad- 
mitted to the bar and in 1878 he was 
married to Miss Sophia A. Van Marter. 
only daughter of William Van Marter. 
In 1880 he removed to this town and en- 
tered into partnership with his father- 
in-law in tne practice of law. In 1886 
he was appointed Clerk of the Surro- 
gate's Court by .Judge G. W. Cowles of 
Clyde, and he continued in that office 
until 1895 when he resigned to enter into 
a law partnership with Jefferson W. 
Hoag of Wolcott under the firm name 
of Hoag & Hammond, of which he was a 
member at the time of his death, July 11. 
1898. He was a member of Humanity Lodge, F. 
and A. M.. and the Wayne County Bar. For 
seven years he was chairman of the Republican 
County Committee, and at the time of his death 
was president of the Board of Education of the 
village of Lyons. 

"Deacon" Jesse Smith is one of the hon- 
ored roll of staunch Presbyterians of Lyons 
which in his time included "Deacons ' Taft, Gil- 
bert and Hartman. They stood firm supporters 
of a struggling church when it was too weak to. 
pay its minister's salary and held themselves 
personally responsible for making good deficien- 
cies. Deacon Smith came to Lyons from Great 
Barrington, Mass., in 1830 and took a farm ad- 
joining the cor])oration. He died in 1861. 




K\isscll. Plioto. 



THE WILLIA.M VAN MARTER HOMESTEAD. 



"GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



91 




CLARK MASON. 



WILLIAM R. MASON. 



Clark Mason was born in West Woodstock, 
Ct., November 20, 1809, of English descent dating 
back in this country to 1634 at Watertown near 
Boston, where Hugh Mason received important 
appointments in the early municipal transactions 
of that town and in the civil and military affairs 
of the province. Clark Mason was the third son 
of Ehas Mason and Matilda Clark of West Wood- 
stock, Ct. He obtained a common school educa- 
tion in his native town and came to Newark, N. 
Y., in 1828. In early life he taught school and 
later owned a large drug store there. He was 
elected Justice of the Peace at the age of twen- 
ty-one, and held the office thirty-three years. 
In 1850 he was admitted to the bar and was asso- 
ciated with the late Judge Middleton. Mr. 
Mason was president of the Board of Education 
for many years, one of a committee of two to 



lay out the village park, was the first in 
the organization of the Newark Volun- 
teer Fire Department and the first and 
for a long time foreman of No. 1. He 
was one of the original founders of St. 
Mark's Episcopal church, the first ves- 
tryman to be elected, July, 1851, and re- 
elected each year until he left Newark. 
He was elected Supervisor in 1850, was 
the Whig nominee lor Sheriff in 18-52 and 
later ran for County Judge and Surro- 
gate. In 1863 he was elected County 
Clerk, and taking up his abode in the 
county seat purchased the residence on 
Butternut sti'eet owned by Lyman Lyon, 
who preceded him as County Clerk. After 
his retirement from the clerkship Mr. 
Mason formed a law partnership with the 
late George W. Arnold and became active 
and interested in the uplifting of every 
good cause. He was a member of the 
Lyons Boai'd of Educatic n for many years 
and Justice of the Peace. For twenty 
years, and until the time of his death, 
was vestryman of Grace Episcopal church. 
He was Past-Master of the Newark 
Lodge, F. and A. M.. and also a member 
of Newark Chapter, R. A. M. As well 
as an able jurist and advocate he was an orator 
of marked ability. As a pohtician, office holder 
aud citizen he was esteemed and honored above 
reproach; a man foremost in all charitable actions 
and a liberal contributor to the needs of the 
unfortunate. 

Mr. Mason was married February 3, 1847, to 
Emeline Peterie, daughter of Col. Peterie of 
Peterie's Corners, Herkimer Co., N. Y. Their 
children were Hugh whc died 1859, Charles 
Clark in 1874, Anna Williams in 1883 and Wil- 
liam Russil October 8. 1903. One grandson, 
William Clark Mason, survives. 

William Russel Magon was born in Newark, 
N. Y., August 20, 1851, and was third son of the 
late Clark Mason. He was educated at the 
Lyons Union School and later taught for a num- 




Russell, Photo. 



[Seesk. p. &2.] 



LUTHER S. LAKE S RESIDENCE. 



92 



"GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



ber of years in that institution. In 1875 he be- 
gan the study of law in his father's law office 
and in 1878 he together with Hon. Frank F. 
Davis of New York was admitted to practice in 
the courts of the state. The same year the two 
were taken into partnership with the late Clark 
Mason, the firm name being Mason, Davis & 
Mason. The firm was dissolved in 1881 through 
Mr. Davis' departure for Minneapolis and the 
death of the senior partner. For the next few 
years Mr. Mason was associated in law with the 
late District-Attorney Chas. H. Ray. On March 
9, 1882, he was appointed Justice of the Peace 
to fill the vacancy caused by the death of his 
fathei and for a full term of four years. In 
March, 1895, he was appointed Police Justice and 
served one term. His championship of princi- 
ples of Republicanism, and the cleanness of his 
political record, made him prominent with his 
party and won for him the respect of his political 
opponents. Mr. Mason was a man of strong 
individuality and popularity, possessing an abun- 
dance of dry humor and fund of local anecdote. 



1893, inclusive, he was clerk in the office of Hon. 
T. W. Collins. In 1887 he purchased the insur- 
ance agencies of A. W. Johnson and B. F. Rog- 
ers and on April 1, 1890, opened an office at 73 
William street. On May 2, 1903, L. S. Lake & 
Co. bought the agency of Chamberlain & Aken- 
head and located their consolidated agencies in a 
suite of large offices over the Lyons National 
Bank. 

Mr. Lake, who is a Justice of the Peace, first 
appointed to fill the vacancy caused by the res- 
ignation of C. D. Leach, Feb. 6, 1901, was elect- 
ed Nov. 1901. Mr. Lake is a member of the fol- 
lowing or2:anizations: Canonchet Tribe, 184, 
I. O. R. M., of which he is Chief of Records, a. 
Past Sachem and charter member; Past Chief 
Haymaker and collector of straws of Canonche: 
Council, 184'._., P. A. of H.; charter member, 
recording and financial secretary of Court Lyons, 
.366, Forresters of America; charter member and 
clerk of Camp Lyons. No. 9233, Wocdmtn of 
America, treasurer of the Fire Department since 
Feb. 1901, and member of L. M. Blakely Hose 










KMI'IRK BKET SUGAR CO. S FACTORY. 



At all times he displayed the genuine brand of 
charity. 

He was a member of Humanity Lodge 406, F. 
and A. M., and for many years and up to the 
time of his death, a member and vestryman of 
Grace Episcopal church. On October IS, 1883, 
he was married to A. Lida Dickie, daughter of 
the late Wm. Dickie, who came to Lyons from 
Minneapolis in 1868. Mr. Mason died October 
8, 1903, leaving a wife and one son. William 
Clark Mason. 

Luther S. Lake, the senior member of the 
Insurance firm of L. S. Lake & Co., was born in 
Guilderland, Albany Co., N. Y., Oct. 17, 1864. 
He was graduated at the Mahany City, Pa., 
High school in 1880 and at the Patterson, N. J., 
Business College in 1883. Coming to Lyons on 
May 5, 1885, he secured employment with Mann 
& Radder as bookkeeper, which position he filled 
for George Mapes, Charles H. Radder and Louis 
E. Wolfe. On Oct. 2, 1887, he married Lizzie, 
the daughter of F^rank Schmidt. In 1S87 and 



Co., No. 6. He is the Associated Press corres- 
pondent as well as the special correspondent for 
pretty much all of the out of town newspapers 
circulated at Lyons. 

The Empire Beet Sugar Co. is the only 
plant in that line of industry located in the state 
(.f New York, and is one of the most substantial 
of the beet sugar factories in this country. 
During the season of harvesting beets and run- 
ning through the time necessary to work up the 
supply of the year, this factory is run night and 
day; audits capacity, when di'iven to the utmost 
is 600 tons of beets daily. 

That it is a very important industry not alone 
for Lyons and adjacent country but throughout 
the entire state is shown by the fact that the 
supply of beets annually received at this factory 
is drawn from almost all of the counties between 
Niagara and Erie on the west, St. Lawrence 
county on the north, Warren and Saratoga coun- 
ties on the east and Chemung county on the 
south. At the present time about six thousand 



"GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



93 




GEORGE W. CARVER. 

acres furnish the supply, and the plant, running 
tts full capacity, turns out 6U tons of sugar daily, 
giving many farmers, both at home and miles 
away, a profitable acreage. At the same time 
the wages paid for help in the factory is of con- 
siderable consequence to the Lyons people, 
amounting to upwards of $60,000 annually. In 
addition, the company is providing the farmers 
growing a certain number of acres of sugar 
beets with the help to take care of the hand 
labor connectcxl witn the beet crop, and thereby 
giving employment to an additional five hundred 
to eight hundred hands. The sugar produced 
here is the best quality of granulated sugar— as 
pure and bright as the best — the state chemists' 
analysis showing it to be 99.6 to 99.8 per cent, 
out of a possible 100. 

The factory, about a mile east of the village, 
is located between the New York Central's four 
tracks and the Erie canal. With a switch to the 
railroad and a dock on the canal, the factory is 
most favorably situated for receiving raw mate- 
rial and shipping the manufactured article. 

The company owns the railroad tracks con- 
necting the plant with the main line which, with 
tlie additions constructed in the fall of 1904, 
accommodate about 200 cars It operates its 
own electric light plant, and also has waterworks 
of its own located about a quarter of a mile west 
of its main grounds which furnish dui'ing its act- 
ive campaign about three million gallons of 
water every twenty-four hours. 

Another valuable production of this company 
is the pulp of the beet after the exti-action of 
the sugar, which is considered a high grade of 
food for cattle and is sold to farmers at less 
than what they can raise ensilage. 

The enterprise shown in carrying on this work 
is a source of pride to Lyons people generally, 
and is an asset to the growth and industrial im- 
portance of the village. The sugar is sold in 
pretty much all of the large markets of this 
country and, as has been stated, ranks high. 

The officers of the company are: President 
and Manager, Frederick Steigerwald; Treasurer, 
William Scott; Secretary, L. H. Multer. The 



com}3any leased the plant in 1903 from the old 

Empire State Sugar Company, and by the ex- 
penditure of considerable money in improve- 
ments has made it one of the best factories of 
its kind. 

George W. Carver, an early resident of 
Lyons and for some years a criminal and peace 
officer who was successful in catching public 
off'enders, was born in Albany, March 6, 1831. 
His father, George W., came to Lyons in 1838, 
and the son received his schooling here and at 
the academy in Lima, N. Y. Learning the silver- 
plater's trade which he followed twelve years, 
until his eyesight became poor, he worked for 
Remsen & Polhamus in their harness and sad- 
dlery shop which was called the cupola. He 
served fifteen years as constable, deputy mar- 
shal and deputy provost marshal, making a 
specialty of the private detective business. He 
broke up the Loomis gang of horse thieves, ar- 
resting Clark, alias Tom Alvord, a noted horse 
thief, one Belcher and two of the Loomises whom 
he landed, single-handed, in the Wayne county 
jail. In 1869 he was appointed deputy revenue 
assessor of Lyons and Galen, and afterwards of 
all the towns of the eastern district; and also 
received the appointment of deputy revenue col- 
lector. In 1874 he was appointed keeper of the 
Wayne county poor house serving until 188-5, 
during which time the county erected several 
new buildings, and in 1888 he was appointed 
police justice, serving three years. 

George L. Carver, postmaster of Lyons from 
March, 1900, to March, 1904, was born at Lyons, 
Sept. 26, 1851. After leaving the district school 
he obtained a business education at the Detroit 
Business school, then clerked for Wm. Kreutzer 
at Lyons two years. In 1880 he opened a flour 
and feed store' on the premises now occupied by 
the postoffice. This he sold out two years after 
building the Joppa Roller Mills, which he erected 
in 1889. After running these mills until 1903 he 
sold the business to Mr. Killick. Mr. Carver in 
1890 constructed the new road between Galen 




GEORGE L. CARVER. 



94 



"GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 




SMITH A. DEWEY. 

and Savannah, crossing the marshes, a difficult 
piece of work. On June 5, 1879, he married 
Kate P., the daughter of Asaph Waterman of 
Lyons. They have one son, George W. 

Smith A. Dewey was born in Whitestown, 
N. Y., Dec. 7 lsl4. He came to Lyons in 1839 
and was for many years engaged in mercantile 
pursuits. In June, 1862, on the death of the late 
John Adams, he was appointed treasurer of 
Wayne county by the Board of Supervisors and 
the following November he was elected to the 
position by the people, and re-elected in 1865 
and 1868 — holding the office nearly ten consecu- 
tive years. This was during the time when the 
duties of the office were more onerous than cus- 
tomary, because of the settlement of bounties 
incurred by the war. Mr. Dewey was a faith- 
ful and efficient public officer— his admirable 
management of the finances of the county, 
was especially complimented by successive 
Boards of Supervisors. In business and social 
circles few men have had a more commanding 
influence or enjoyed more universal esteem. 

The death of Mr. Dewey occurred at Minneap- 
olis, Minn., on Nov. 1, 1875, where he had gone 
in hopes of recruiting his health. His daughters 
are Frances C. (Mrs. P. O. Pierce) and Hattie 
A. (Mrs. W. G. Sis.son). 

William Sisson, one of the earliest lawyers 
in Wayne county and a distinguished jurist who 
occupied the bench for many years, came to 
Lyons from Cayuga county in 1816. He at first 
resided on the north side of Water street, his 
office being across the street. Several years 
afterwards he erected a large residence on the 
west side of Broad street, near the corner of 
Church street, which for those days was an im- 
posing structure, with a row of pillars across the 
front. A few years ago the house was moved 
down on the west side of William street where 
it is still standing. 

During the earlier years of his residence in 
Lyons Judge Sisson was a justice of the peace. 
He was afterwards Master of Chancery. In 
1830 he was appointed Judge of the Gourt of 



Common Pleas and held the office for seventeen 
years. The Judge was reserved in disposition, 
firm in conviction and an authority on strenuous 
points of law. 

Judge Sisson was born at Wilbraham, Mass., 
Nov. 12, 1787. He married Betsey Gale at 
Scipio, Cayuga Co., Feb. 27, 1814. She died in 
1847. The Judge took for his second wife Miss 
Caroline C. Dietz. His death occurred Dec. 7, 
1863. The children of William and Betsey Sisson 
were William H., born at Scipio, Maix-h 18, 1815, 
EHzabeth (Mrs. Dr. L. C. Hillman), Oct. 26, 1818, 
George Elisha, April 2, 1820 and Thomas Drury 
(jale, Dec. 9, 1822. The last three were born at 
Lyons. 

Judge Sisson was a demoo'at, a Presbyterian 
and a prominent member of the Masonic order. 
His parents, Elisha and Elizabeth Chaipel Sis- 
son moved from Barre, Vt., where Judge Sisson 
spent the most of his boyhood days, to Cayuga 
county in 1804. Their children were William, 
Elizabeth. Hannah Burdick and Bloomy Chap- 
pell. 

W. H. Sisson was one of the prominent mei'- 
chants in Lyons a half century ago. He was the 
son of Judge William Sisscn, the distinguished 
jurist, the first Judge of Wayne county, and was 
born in Lyons in 1815. In the old Centre build- 
ing Mr. Sisson carried on the drug business in 
company with Dr. S&nford. Afterwards Mr. 
Sisson moved into the building at the southeast 
corner of Broad and Water streets, which burned 
down several years after his death, where he 
continued the drug business to the time he died. 
Mr. Sisson was actively interested in all public 
affairs and was conspicuous in whatever he un- 
dertook. He was a Colonel in the miiit'a of his 
time, when "training day" W£s generally ob- 
served as a holiday, and he was prominent in the 
Masonic order, as was also his father. Mr. 
Sisson married Hari'iett, the daughter of Dr. 
Arne, one of the best known of Wayne county 
families, a large land owner at Wolcott, a Mem- 
ber of Assembly at one time and also a Judge. 
Mr. Sisson died when forty-four years of age. 




WILLIAM SISSON, 
One of the First .Judges of Wayne County. 



"GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 




WILLIAM G. SISSON. 

Mrs. Sisson survived her husband many years. 
Her death occurred a year ago Christmas. They 
had four children: W. G. Sisson of Lyons, Dr. 
F. M. Sisson, deceased; Cynthia Adelaide (Mrs. 
T. G. Stevens) and Mary Elizabeth (Mrs. Fred- 
erick J. Haseltine) of Elbridge, N. Y. 

W. G. Sisson, supervisor of the town of 
Lyons, was born April 19, 1852, and was edu- 
cated at the Lyons Union school, the Geneva 
High school, the Cayuga Lake Academy at Au- 
rora, N. Y., and the Edwards Place school at 
Stockbridge, Mass. Soon after leaving school 
he engaged in farming and although now inter- 



ested, in other business ventures has farm prop- 
erty which he personally manages. On June 3, 
1875, he was married to Miss Hattie A., the 
daughter of Smith A. Dewey of Lyons. Frances 
Arne (Mrs. C. P. Williams) and Wm. Gavitt 
Sisson are their children. In 1881 Mr. Sisson 
built and equipped the Globe Mills at Camillus, 
among the best of the modern roller process 
mills in the state, which the firm of Patterson & 
Sisson conducted for several years. They were 
burned in 1897 and Mr. Sisson rebuilt them. 

In 1899 he organized the Nagley Manufac- 
turing Company of Lyons with which he is still 
connected. For the past few years, and at the 
present time, he is the Lyons representative 
of the United States Casualty Company of New 
York. 

Earliest Real Estate Owners in Lyons Vil- 
lage. —Judge Daniel Dorsey, 1,048 acres (now in 
part the village south of the river). David Gil- 
son (a river boatman) one house and seven vil- 
lage lots. WiUiam Gibbs (the tavern— northeast 
corner of Church and Broad streets) one house 
and seven village lots. Richard Jones, 188 
acres. Samuel Mummy, one house and four 
acres. John Perrine, .5.53 acres. James Walters, 
60 acres. Wm. Paton, 101 aci-es. John Riggs, 
299 acres (including the central part of the vil- 
lage, largely east of William street). John Van 
Wickle, 224 acres (west end of the village). 
Thomas Cole, 50 acres (east end of the village, 
south of the Riggs farm) . 

Representatives in Congress from Wayne 
Co. — Blackmar, Ebson (vice Holly deceased) 
1849 (beginning in March) ; Butterfield, Martin, 
1859-61; Cowles, George W 1869-71; Camp, John 
H 1877-'83; Green, Byram 1843-'4; Holly, John 
M 1847-'8 (died at Jacksonville, Fla., March 8, 
1848) ; Strong, Theron R 1839-40. 




Russell. Plioto. 



WILLIAM G. SISSON'S RESIDENCE. 



96 



'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 




CHARLES H. BETTS, 

Editor and ProiJi-ictor of the Lyons Ri'iuililic-iin. 

Charles Henry Belts, editor and jn'oprietor 
of the Lyons Republican and Republican State 
Committeeman from the 31st Congressional dis- 
trict comprising the counties of Cayuga, On- 
tario, Wayne and Yates, represents the authori- 
ty of the Republican state organization in his 
district and as such shapes local party affairs. 
Although a young man — being the youngest 
member of the state committee — his circle of 
personal acquaintances include the party leaders 
throughout the state, and by reason of his effect- 
ive and loyal support of the State organization 
his friendships among them are strong. 

For some years he has occupied desirable po- 
sitions in the legislature at Albany and has be- 
come a pi-oficient politician. Mr. Betts since ac- 



quiring the ownership of the Lyons Republican 
has attracted attention by his forcible, concise 
and tense manner in writing of current events.. 
Although many personal interests occupy much 
of his time, Mr. Betts writes the editorials in 
his papei' and maintains personal supervision of 
all details in its management. 

From a farm in the town of Wolcott where he 
was born April 14, 1863, through his own efforts 
from the time of boyhood, he steadily made his 
way through school, then mercantile life and 
finally to the head of a large weekly newspaper 
which is recognized as one of the most influen- 
tial in the State. His parents, Thomas and Mary 
Betts, who came from Northampton, Eng., in 
1852, died when he was a boy. Through steady 
employment in many ways and by means of a 
clerkship in N. J. Fields store at North Wolcott 
and afterwards in John E. Hough's store at 
South Butler he earned means to a.ssist him in 
getting more than a disti'ict school education, 
first attending Leavenworth Institute at Wol- 
cott, N. Y. and afterward Adrian College, Ad- 
rian, Mich. While a student in the latter institu- 
tion he was elected president of the College Re- 
publican Club. He is a member of the Alpha 
Tau Omega College fraternity. Upon leaving 
college he became interested in the Hough Cash 
Register, in the meantime engaging in active 
political work. In 1894 he was appointed a dep- 
uty clerk in the State Assembly where he served 
continuously until in 1899 when he was elevated 
to the position of Chief of the Revision depart- 
menh. As such he became the compiler and 
publisher of the Highway Manual of the State, 
the official codificaticn of allot the highway laws- 
published as a hand book for the highway com- 
missioners and town officers throughout the 
state. 

Mr. Betts married Miss Albertine Mirick, the 
daughter of Col. Huntington Rogers of Lyons, 
Nov. 20, 1891, Thev have one daughter, Isabella 
Mary. 

On Sept. 1, 1897, Mr. Betts in company with 
two partners bought the Lyons Republican andi 




RusselL Photo. 



CHARLES H. BETTS RESIDENCE. 



'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



97 




COL. IRA MIKICK. 

from the start was the editor and business man- 
ager of the paper. On January 1, 1900, he be- 
came sole proprietor of the RepubHcan. He is 
one of the organizers and a director of the 
Hough Shade Corporation of Janesville, Wis. 
He is a member of several fraternal orders. 

Col. Ira Mirick, who was a large conti-actor 
on public works for several years, became a res- 
ident of Lyons about 1837, and this village was 
his home until the day of his death. He was a 
prominent and very active builder, promoter and 
business man, much of whose work is still stand- 
ing. For years he and his brother, Hiram, were 
best known in this section as the owners and 
managers of the big Hour and feed mills which 
stood on the present site of the Electric Light 
plant, and as malsters. About the beginning of 
the Civil War Col. Mirick bought the large malt 
house that was a part of the old Centre Build- 
ing, and there he carried on the business of a 
malster until 1883, he being considered as one of 
the largest malsters in this part of the state. 

Col. Mirick was about 18 years old when he 
became a resident of Rose, N. Y., and therefore 
his home was in this county for about three- 
quarters of a century. He was born at Caze- 
novia, N. Y., Feb. 18, 1802, the son of Soloman 
and Elizabeth (Underwood) Mirick. Soloman 
Mirick s second wife was the mother of Thurlow 
Weed. When Col. Mirick s mother died and 
soon afterwards his father failed, he was thrown 
on his own resources, and he went to work on 
the farm of John Closs in Rose. Closs was a 
contractor on public work in Pennsylvania, 
where Col. Mirick was also employed, getting 
his first lessons in constructing large works. 
Then he went into contract work for himself, 
having contracts fi'om 18.52 to 1860 on the Erie 
canal and the New York Central railroad. 

Col. Mirick was naturally of militaiy bent and 
in 1831 he was commissioned Colonel of a militia 
regiment by Gov. Throop. 

Col. Mirick s death occurred in 1891, seven 
years after that of his wife. She was Martha, 
the daughter of Isaac Lamb of Rose. They 



were married in 1827, and had six children: 
Hiram Thomas, Simeon Guilford, Andrew Jack- 
son, Maria Josephine (Mrs. Dr. Hugh Jameson), 
Adelia Isabella (Mrs. W. H. Rogers) and 
Martha Albertine (Mrs. De Witt Parshall Foster). 
Mrs. Dr. Hugh Jameson is the only one of them 
living. There are several grandchildren. 

Cuilen Foster was for nearly twenty years 
the station agent for the New York Central Rail- 
road Company in this village, the first to receive 
the appointment when the I'oad began operation 
in 1852 and holding the place to the time of his 
death. He was twenty-eight years old when he 
became a resident of Lyons ~m 1828. He was a 
staunch supporter of the Baptist church. Up to 
the time he was fifty years old he was active in 
local Democratic politics, being at one time the 
leader of the party in this county. In 1828 he 
was elected sheriff, but prior to that time held 
.several town offices in Palmyra. He was born 
in that town September 30, 1800, and upon leav- 
ing school was a teacher for a few years. Just 
before coming to Lyons, he married Elizabeth 
Parshall, January 8, 1828. At the close of his 
term as sheriff, he served as deputy county clerk 
for John L. Cuyler. and when the latter moved 
away Mr. Foster was appointed to serve out the 
term as clerk. He was then elected clerk and 
served the full term. In 1837 he was appointed 
a loan commissioner for the county and during 
the term of Sheriff Borradaile held the position 
of under sheriff. He died March 29, 1870, sur- 
vived by his widow and the following children: — 
Graham Foster (now deceased), Mary Elizabeth 
(Mrs. Levi Bashford) now of Binghamton, Au- 
gusta Adelia (Mrs. Henry Hecox) of Bingham- 
ton; DeWitt Par.shall, William CuUen and Cassius 
Burton Foster, deceased; Mary Anna Woodward 
(Mrs. Frederick Brown) of Bay City, Mich. 

Constitutional Delegates (State) from 
Wayne Co. —Convention of 1846, Ornon Archer 
and" Horatio N. Taft; 1867, Ornon Archer and 
Leander S. Ketchum; 1872, (Commissioner) Van 
Rensselaer Richmond: 1894, Henry R. Durfee. 




CULLEN FOSTER. 



98 



"GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 




JAMES D. BASHFORI). 



JAMKS BASHPX)RD. 



James Bashford, for sixty-nine years a resi- 
dent of Wayne county was born at Nine Part- 
ners. Dutchess Co., N. Y., March 24. 1814, and 
came to Lyons with his parents when 8 years oid, 
the family travelling across the state in a cov- 
ered wagon. The early part of his life he en- 
gaged in various pursuits. He erected the first 
brick building in Lyons, the checkered front 
block on Water street and he also built the cider 
and vinegar factory in the western part of the 
village, as well as several other structures for 
factories and residences. In the early forties he 
was a prominent figure in whig politics, but 
shortly before the civil war he identified himself 
with the newly organized i-e))ublican i)arty and 



was ever afterwards an ardent and con- 
sistent champion of its policies. Mr. 
Bashford had three bi'others who like- 
wise were jrominent and influential citi- 
zen.^-. Levi Bashford was a forty-niner 
and went to California when gold was 
discovered in that region, settling in 
Prescott, Arizona, whtre he ccntlucted 
the largest general store in the territfry. 
He was a personal friend of CoUis P. 
Huntinjiton. Coles Bsshfoid. a district 
attorney of Wayne County, afterwards 
i)ecame Governoi of Wisconsin. Silas 
Bashford was always an active business 
man of Lyons. James Bashford. quiet 
and reserved, ))rided himself on his Qua- 
ker ancestry. On Dec. 27, 185.S he mar- 
I'ied Susan, daughter of Thcs E. Dorsey. 

James D- Bashford, Trea.surer of 
Wayne County now serving his second 
term, was born in Lyons. March 10, 1861, 
and has always resided here. He has 
engaged m active business here from 
the time he left school and all of his 
business and property interests, his 
home and social life are centered in 
Lyons, the welfare of which is his first 
and last concern. In political circles he is an 
aggressive, working republican with a per- 
sonal influence that has been demonstrated in 
convention and caucus and in his election twice 
as county treasurer. Under his administration 
the affairs of this important position are being 
managed with zeal, good judgment and economy. 
Mr. Bashford on leaving school was empkyed 
for a number of years in the New York Central 
freight office in this village and in the County 
Clerk's and Surrogate's offices for a number of 
years. Then he became a partner with his 
father, -James Bashfoi-d, in the cooperage and 
vinegar business. After his fathei' s death he 
ronsidnrablv enlarged the vinegai' i)lant. increas- 




Kussell. Pilot o. 



.lAVIK.^ I). BASHFORD S RESIDKNCK. 



'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



99 



ing the capacity of the works from 80,000 to 
350,000 gallons and adding a complete process- 
ing plant for the manufacture of cucumber 
pickles. 

This year he has over 15,000 bushels of cucum- 
bers in brine. Mr. Bashford is also the largest 
manufacturer of apple, sugar and other barrels 
in this vicinity. Mr. Bashford is president of 
the Lyons Business Men's Association and of the 
Lyons Cut Glass Company and is interested in a 
number of other local industries. He was the 
principal promoter of the Lyons Sugar Beet 
Company. On Oct. 2, 1884, he married Lillian, 
daughter of Daniel Barton of this place. Mr. 
Bashford on his mother's side is a descendant of 
Judge Daniel Dorsey, one of the earliest of the 
large land owners who opened the village of 
Lyons and adjacent country to settlement. 
Judge Dorsey was a captain in Gen. Washing- 
ton's army during the revolution. 

State Engineer from Wayne Co. : — Van 
Rensselaer Richmond, Nov. 3, 1857 (elected) ; 
served until Jan. 1, 1860. On Nov. 5. 1867 (again 
elected) ; served until Jan. 1, 1870. 



Remsen & Polhamus' silver platings, ' said Mr. 
Blackburn. "Ex-postmaster Carver's father 
worked there— a silver plater. I sold the Van 
Wickle factory to William Rodder and he sold 
the building to F. W. Bosheim's father for a 
cabinet shop. It stands with the old Presbyte- 
rian meeting house on Jackson street. 

' ' We bought most of our lumber in the tree 
around Sodus, using white wocd, buss wood and 
white ash, paying ten or eleven dollars per thou- 
sand feet delivered. All of the lumber up there 
had to come to Lyons to reach the market, ship- 
jjing from here on the canal. 

"In those days Deacon Taft's furnace was the 
principal industry. He was an old man when I 
came here and didn t do anything himself. He 
made threshing machines — in fact all sorts of 
farm implements. The coal for manufacturing 
had to coma by canal, and was brought here by 
George Cramer. 

"Thompson Harrington was running the pot- 
tery. E. B. Putney manufactured wire cloth, 
employing eight or ten hands. 

"The locust gi'ove I have mentioned covered 
that part of the hill where Dr. Moore 'sand Charles 




Rnss.-U. Photo. 



CIDER VINEGAR PICKLES AND COOPERAGE WORKS. 



Recollections of Early Manufactures; Silver 
Plated Harnesses and Fanning Mills were Con - 
spicuoixs Lyons Productions; Lumber came 
from Sodus: 

J. A. Blackburn, speaking of the old time 
manufacturers of Lyons, said that when he 
came here in 1855 the Reynolds' fanning mill 
factory stood on the northeast corner of Maple 
and Jackson streets. Stephen D. Van Wickle's 
factory, which Mr. Blackburn bought, was on 
the east side of Phelps street. John Gilbert's 
was over on Broad street, and Zalomon Rice's 
factory was on the site of Dr. Moore's residence, 
standing in a locust grove. Remsen & Polhamus 
made saddlery harness in a building on the north- 
east corner of Jackson and Phelps streets, which 
was burned down. Their goods were conspicu- 
ous for their bright silver platings. 

" For years many of the best harnesses glit- 
tered with the reflected light that shone from 



Baltzel's residences stand. There was a lane 
that led up from Broad street to the south of it. 

"I remember Van R. Richmond, a distinguished 
and educated man whose career was largely pub- 
lic, but who had a strong liking for Lyons and 
who was one of the popular men of this town. 
Generally good natured and ready for a joke he 
was quite an entertainer. He got off, occasion- 
ally, some good hits on local incidents which 
became current as coin about town. 

"The Gilbert fanning mill you speak of, I be- 
lieve was his invention. Yet it was made by all 
of the factories in town when I was manufac- 
turing them. The principal markets for the 
mills made here were in Baltimore and Rich- 
mond. " 

Senators from Wayne Co. : — Armstrong, 
Thomas 1830-7; Clark, William, 1854- '5; Cuyler, 
Samuel C 1856-'7; Green, Byram 1823-'4; Robin- 
son, Thomas, 1884-5; Sherwood, Lyman 1843-"4; 
Saxton, Charles T 1890- "4; Willianis, Alexander 
B 1858-61; Williams. Stephen K 1864-'9. 



L- 



^ 



100 



GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



George F. Sturges, y unu;est son of James 
and Harriet Pratt Sturges, was born in Spencer. 
Tioga Co., N. Y., Dec. 13, 1827, and at an early 
age his home was moved to Candor, in the same 
county, where he attended school until sixteen 
years of age. Not desiring to follow the business 
of his father who was a tanner, the young man 
left home, first living in Albany, N. Y., nearly 
a year, then, after returning home for a short 
time, going to Akron, O., whei'e he apprenticed 
himself to a cabinet maker. Until 1856, when 
he went to California, he followed the trade of a 
mechanic at Akron. At Sacramento he worked 
as a house carpenter and steamboat repairer, 
and in December. 1859, left for the east, going 
to New York city, then returning to Candor. 
The ensuing few months ware spent in Canada 
buying lumber, and in the fall of 1860 be came 



in the western end of Lyons village and extended 
Pearl street, cutting up the tract into village 
lots which he sold in the market. 
Recollections; E. J. Andrews describes Bus- 
iness Places on Broad street in 1839; Johnson's 
Tailor shop a "Hang-out"' for Notable Lyons 
Men: — 

' I came to Lyons April 9, 1839," said Edwin 
J. Andrews, "and learned the tailor's trade of 
Eli and Ben Johnson in a little shop next north 
of Nusbickel's st )re which stands on the site of 
two one-story buildings occupied by Dippy's 
harness shop and Albert Phillips' tailor shop. 
On the corner was a two-story frame building, at 
one time occupied as a drug store by W. H. Sis- 




KUNS.-Il, IMiot... 

GEORGE F. STURGES. 

THE STURGES PARLORS. 

to Lyons. During the war Mr. Sturges was en- 
gaged with his brother, Wm. R. Sturges, in a 
sutler's supply depot at Washington, D. C, and 
was also engaged in the flour and feed business, 
the firm being Aldrich & Sturges. 

At the close of the war he s[)ent several years 
at Candor, and in 1872 came to Lyons. Pur- 
chasing a farm near Rochester he lived there 
until March, 1873, when he came to Lyons and 
took charge of the Lyons Gas Works, which posi- 
tion he held until he retii'ed from active business 
life in April, 1902. Mr. Sturges married Emily 
A. Scutt at Varney. Tompkins Co., N. Y., March 
5. 1863. They have one son, Albert R. Sturges, 
who is in California. 

Mr. Sturges bought a tract of land on the hill 



THE STURGES HOME. 
MRS. 



EMILY A. STURGES. 



son and at another time by Rogers & White. 
Next north of our shop was a brick building, the 
south half of which was occupied by E. B. Mill- 
er, harness maker, and the other half by the 
Dietz girls, milliners. Next north was the store 
of Baltzels' father. On the corner of Broad and 
Pearl streets George Benton had a tavern. 
Among his boarders at one time were Caleb 
Rice, R. P. Bradish, a lawyer who went to Den- 
ver, William Clark and myself. The first build- 
ing, on the east side of Broad street, north of 
Water, at that time was a residence, the next a 
meat market and W. D. Perrine's jewelry store. 
The canal lock was then a small affair made of 
timbers. The liners on the canal carried emi- 
grants who while the boats were being locked 



"GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



101 




BURNING OF J. (\ MYF:RS' HARDWARE STORE. 

throutjh would come up the street in throngs and 
pass through the alley north of our shop to get 
water at a well. 

"Myron Holly and Eli Johnson were chums 
and frequently discussed current events in our 
shop. Deacon Gilbert occasionally formed one 
of the group in these discussions and Judge Sis- 
son was also another of the notables of those 
days who made Johnson s tailor shop a forum." 

The Myers Fire — One of the most serious of 
fires Lyons has suffered— and the village has 
been remarkably free of fires — was the burning 
of the building owned and occupied by J. C. 
Myers in the afternoon of June 8, 1899, by which 
Mr. Myars lost his life. It started with an ex- 
plosion while he was in the cellar and in two 
minutes the flames had reached the upper stories. 
Mr. Myers suceeeded in getting out of the cellar 



without help, but 
he was so badly 
burned that he died 
on June 20th , 
twelve days later. 

The Shuler 
Hospital on Cath- 
arine street, the 
only institution of 
its kind in Lyons, 
was opened Nov. 
19, 1899. Prior to 
that time the physi- 
cians of the village 
realized that what 
was needed was an 
hospital, where 
cases requiring 
special treatment 
could have skilled 
nursing, and where 
the best provisions 
for surgical operations could be had. This led 
to the establishment of the Shuler hospital, 
which fills the need sa long experienced. Although 
not large it is fully equipped and receives many 
patients both from out of town and in town. 

Lyons Lodge, No. 869, Benevolent and Protec- 
tive Order of Elks, was organized June 24, 1903, 
by District Deputy F. W. Brown of Niagara 
Falls, assisted by members of Syracuse (No. 31) 
and Auburn (No. 474) lodges. It is seldom a 
lodge of Elks is formed in a town with so small 
a population as that of Lyons, and it is owing to 
the untirin? work of Dr. Cyril Fulton and Charles 
D. Hubbard that this lodge was organized. Its 
career began with a charter membership of 
thirty-five and has continued with gains each 
month. 

The first officers were : Exalted Ruler, Dr. 




Kusscli, i-'h.icw. 



THE SHULER HOSPITAL. 



102 



"GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 




Kusst-ll. Plioto. 

JOHN F. STRAIN. 

Cyril Fulton: E.st. L. K., Joseph H. Bashford; 
Est. L. K., T. W. Collins, jr.; Est. L. K., Charles 
D. Hubbard: T.. Charles M. Baltzel; Sec, C. H. 
Betts; T.,J. F. Robinson; Chap., A. E. Burnett; 
Esq., J. A. Horton; I. G., E. T. Wells; Trustees, 
G. G. Zimmerlin, W. H. Egan and J. F. Nagley. 
The herd has beautifully furnished lodge and 
club rooms at No. 56 William street, where 
meetings are he'.d each Monday evening. The 
membership fee is $20 and the dues $6 per annum. 

John F. Strain, proprietor of Congress Hall, 
the leading hostelry of Lyons, which he has con- 
ducted for eightei-n years, was born in Palmyra, 
Wayne Co., N. Y., -June 19. 184.3, i-eceiving his 



schooling in that village and when young finding- 
such employment as he could get. At 18 years 
of age he entered a clerkship for E. M. Ander- 
son and nine years later formed a partnership in 
mei'cantile business, the firm being Stoddard & 
Strain. In 1884 he went into the hotel business 
at Palmyra and in 1886 bought out H. W. Evans, 
proprietor of Congress Hall. On March 7. 1867. 
he married Annie, the daughter of Jeremiah 
Burnett. They have two .sons, William Ralph 
and John Arthur. Mr. Strain is a member of 
Palmyra Lodge F. & A. M.. and Zenobia Com- 
mandery. No. 41, K. T. 

John and Mary Hano, who made their I'epu- 
tation as host and hostess of Congress Hall a 
few years after the close of the war, deserve 
conspicuous mention in any history of Lyons, for 
they represented the thrifty, well-to-do Germaa 
families that settled here in the early period of 
the village. Mr. Hano came to this country in 
1839. He was born in Gerbach Rhine, Bavaria,. 
June 1, 1818. Mrs. Hano (Mai-y Martin) was a 
native of Ormsheim, Darmstadt, Germany, 
where she was born May 9. 1812. They were 
married Feb 2, 184''. 

Mr. Hano came west from New York on a. 
canal packet, going to Buffalo where he woi-ked 
in brick yards. Intending to return to New York 
he boarded a packet. At Lyons he saw standing 
on the dock an Althen who was from his old 
home in Germany, so he concluded to settle here.. 
First he worked for Mr. Wakeman at Mi^d Mills;, 
then for John iStanton in his wagon works, which 
six months later Mr. Hano l)ought. He carried 
on wagon making seven or eight years, then 
stai'ted a groceiy business on Water street 
which he ran fifteen years. 

Being appointed postmaster by President Lincoln 
July 16, 1861, he sold out the grocei y. He served 
as postmaster, exclu.sive of two months prior 
to his regular appointment when the president 
named him as deputy, a full term and at its con- 
clusion he went into the hardware business with 
Thomas Bourne. In the meantime Mr. Hano. 




CONGRESS HALL. 
Wlien .Toliii Hano w a.s Laii(ni>i(L 



.lOH.N HANO. 
MRS. JOHN HANO. 



"GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



103 




WILLIAM VAN CAMP. 

Ivad built Congress Hall which was run by Wm. 
Smelt for some time. On Dec. 10, 1869, Mr. 
Hano took possession and conducted the hotel 
until July 7. 1874, when it passed into the hands 
of N. A. Langdon. Upon disposing of the hotel 
Mr. Hano retired from active business. 
He died Oct. 19, 1890. Mrs. Hano's death 
occurred Aug. 28 1896. They had eight 
children. The survivors are Mrs. Mar- 
garet Belden, Miss Elizabeth Hano and 
Henry and William Hano. 

William Van Camp, editoi' and \)vo- 
l^rietor of the Wayne Democratic Press 
for thirty-two years, was born in Madi- 
son county, N. Y., October 2U, 1820. At 
an early age he was brought to Seneca 
County by his parents and given a new 
home near the "Quaker church." When 
he was nine years of age his father died, 
and a short time afterward, attracted 
by the large number of volumes in E. P. 
Granden's bookstore, Palmyra, he en- 
tered that gentleman s newspaper office 
to learn the printing trade, part of the 
wage considei-ation being permission to 
read any of the books in the store. 

While working for Mr. Gi-anden he J'S- 
sisted in the presswork on the Mormon 
Bible which they printed on a hand press 
which by the purchase of Pomeroy 
1 ucker's Wayne Democratic Press later 
came into his possession. Associated 
with Mr. Granden was Pomeroy Tucker, 
at that time one of the most prominent 
Democratic editors in' the State, and 
from Mr. Tucker, Mr. Van Camp learned 
much that later in life made him one of 
the most forcible writers on the country 
pi'ess. 

After being employed in different parts 
of the state, William Van Camp, in Sep- 
tember, 1841, became ]»ublisher of the 
Wayne Sentinel. Selling out soon after- 
ward, he worked at the printing trade 



until September, 1852, when he purchased the 
Lyons Gazette. In 1856, five weeks after its 
birth in Palmyra, he purchased the Wayne Dem- 
ocratic Press, part of the consideration being the 
retention of its name upon its consolidation with 
the Gazette. 

His paper always advocated Democratic prin- 
ciples and until his death Mr. Van Camp was 
considered the leading Democratic editor in 
Wayne county. He loyally shared in the defeats 
of his party and accepted the results without 
complaint. The Democratic Press is now pub- 
lished by William Van Camp, the eldest .son of 
its founder. 

William House became a resident of Lyons 
in 1885, coming here from Scranton, Pa. His 
birthplace was Ellenville. N. Y. Becoming a 
glass blower by trade and working in several 
factories he finally, associated with others, cai'- 
ried on glass works in Scranton, Pa. 

In Lyons he engaged in the botthng business 
since 1885. In April, 1893, he erected a building 
for that industry. Mr. House in many ways has 
practically assisted in public improvement. He 
occupied the office of pi'esident of the village 
two years and is now on the village board of 
health. He is a member of the Odd Fellows, 
Masons, Elks and the German Mechanics. 

State Canal Appraisers from Wayne Co. — 
Ambrose Salisbury appointed May 11, 1843, 
served three years, in place of Geoi'ge W. Cuyler 
who rejected the appointment. 




WILLIAM house's BUSINESS BLOCK. 



104 



"GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 




Rns-.'ll . I'hotM. 



A. L. HOFFMAN S JEWELRY STOKE. 



Postoffice and Postmasters. —The first po.st- 
office in Lyons was established in 1807 and the 
postmaster was Maj. Ezekiel Price. The office 
was located in his tavern and store on the north- 
we.st corner of Broad and Water streets. Maj. 
Price was postmaster so many years that it was 
customary for him to claim seniority over all 
postmasters in the United States. Long aftei- 
he retired from business and in 1822 sold out his 
hotel, David C. Price his son taking it, he con- 
tinued as postmaster, first in the old William 
Nelson house on Broad street, and next in the 
building west of Price's Inn (now Congress 
Hall). 

For a time the postoffice was in a small building 



adjoining the Court House and jail on thi- jiublif 
square, and facing William street. After a gap 
of some years it is found to be located in a build- 
ing standing about in what is nnw the ii-ar of 
Getman's drug store. The front pai't of that 
postoffice is now the rear part of (Jetman's and 
Richaixls' stores. William N. Coles was one of 
the postmasters there. Then it was moved 
across the street, on the present site of the opera 
house, where Daniel Watrous was the postmas- 
ter. 

The next removal was to the Centre building 
in Mapes' present cigar store. The postmasteis 
there whose names we have in oi'der as they 
served were Wm. F. Ashlev, Bela R. Street v, .John 




A. L. HOFFMAN S RESIDENCE. 



"GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



105 




Rus-tU. Plloto. 



B. G. FACER S BARBER SHOP. 



Hano and Bennett V. Ellis. The latter moved 
the office into the Parshall building, corner of 
William and Canal streets (the old postoffice 
corner). Then came J. W. Van Etten. Moses A. 
Hough, George Hartnagle Franz C. Zimmerlin, 
C. E. Crandall, D. V. Teller and George L. 
Carver, who moved the postoffice to its pi-esent 
quarters. H. F. Zimmerlin, the present post- 
master, followed Mr. Carver. 



The Lyons Republican, a leading weekly 
newspaper of Wayne County, one of the bright- 
est of country weeklies in the state, was found- 
ed by George Lewis, Aug. 3, 1821 and suspended 
in February 1822. Jonathan A. Hadley resumed 
its publication in 1830 under the name, the Lyons 
Countryman and in 1831 changed it to the Lyons 
American. In 183.5 he sold it to Wm. H. Childs. 
who in 1839 sold out to Wm. N. C^c le. the latter 




Bnssfll, Pli.)r( 



F. W. BOEHEIM & SON, UNDERTAKERS AND FURNITURE. 



106 



"GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



giving it the name, the Wayne County Whig. 
In 1850 Cole was succeeded by Bartlett R. 
Rogers, who during the ensuing two years was 
succeeded in the order named by John Lay ton, 
S. B. Gavitt and Alexander B. Williams, Silas 
A. Andrews and William Van Marter. Rodney 
L. Adams bought the paper from Mr. Van Mar- 
ter in 1852 and enlarged it, and in 1855 gave it 
the name The Lyons Republican. Wm. T. Tins- 
ley bought it in 1859 and in 1882 built the hand- 
some brick block which is still the home of the 
newspaper. William G. David became editor 
and proprietor Oct. 1, 1887 and on Jan. L 1891. 
sold It to Wm. T. Tinslev and C. R. Sherwood. 
Mr. Tinslev died April 28, 1893, and Sept. L 1897, 
Mr. Sherwood sold it to Mr. Charlts H. Betts. 
with whom for a time were associated as part- 
ners, Jean L. Burnett of Canandaigua and Dr. 
J. W. CoppernoU of South Butler. On March 1, 
1898, Mr. F. H. Shepard became a partner, and 
on Jan. 1, 1900, Mr. Betts bought out his part- 
ners. Since then he has been the sole proprietor 
and elitor. On its 83d anniversary the Repub 
lican was enlarged, its form being changed to an 
eight page newspaper, ei^^^ht columns to the page 
and many mechanical inovations being made 
that give to it a bright newsy appearance. Mr. 
Albert M. Foster is the Local Editor. 

Recollections; William Aggett Tells of the Old 
Joppa House and of Old Eagle Company's En- 
gine : — 

"I knew the time when there were seventeen 
dry goods stores in Lyons," said Wm. Aggett. 
"My earliest recollections of boyhood in Lyons 
was that of a pupil in a school taught in the 
'flatiron building.' The teacher was one Mc- 
Kenzie who knew his business. He never spared 
the rod. I was about 12 years old then. ' ' added 
Mr. Aggett, "attending school only in winter 
terms. I learned my trade of carpenter from 
Daniel Ireland, who had a shop up stairs over 
Bourne's store on Canal street. Zalomon Rice 
owned a fanning mill factory on the west side of 
Broad street and there was a brick distillery at 
the west end of Hotchkiss' peppermint depot 
which of course was not there at that time. 
John Denton ran the tavern near Broad street. 
The stages always drove to and from the Graham 
Hous-j. I boarded at the Joppa House on Geneva 
street, which was conducted by James Towar. 

"It was a famous old tavern — that Joppa 
Hous-e. There was a well in the street and all 
the fellows from Sodus would stop there to water 
their horses -and go in and get a drink. Farm- 
ers coming to town to trade drove their teams 
under the .sheds at this tavern. It stood on the 
lot now occupied by the Deuchler residence. 

"In those times John Adams was the oldest 
storekeeper. My father, when he first came to 
Lyons, clei-ked for Adams. A. J. Hovey, anoth- 
er of the early merchants of Lyons, then kept 
store where Rodenbach & Gucker are now. 

"When old Eagle fire company. No. 1, was in 
its best form the village bought an engine and 
wanted me to build a shelter for it. At first it 
was placed in a dwelling which stood where 
House's liquor store stands. I built a shanty 
next to the 'bus barn on my premises for the en- 
gine, which was used until the engine house on 
Broad street was built. My residence, which I 
built, .stood on the site of House's block on Wil- 



liam street. I erected the frame buildings that 
stood on the site of Bourne's store, before the 
brick structure was built." 

Towns of Wayne County; when erected: — 

.\rcadia, taken fi-om Lyons, Feb, 15, 1825. 

Butler, from Wolcott, Feb. 26, 1826. 

Galen, originally township 27, Military tract, 
receiving its name from having been appropri- 
ated by the Medical departm?nt of the army, 
from Junius, Feb. 14, 1812. 

Huron, from Wolcott as Port Bay, Feb. 25, 
1826; its present name was fixed March 17, 1834. 

Lyons from Sodus, March 1, 1811; named from 
supposed topographical resemblance to Lyons, 
France. 

Macedon, from Palmyra, Jan. 29, 1823. 

Marion, from Williamson as Winchester, April 
18. 1825. Its name was changed April 15. 1826. 

Ontario, from Williamson as Freetown. Mai'ch 
27, 1807. Its name was changed Feb. 12, 1808. 

Palmyra, the original town, was formed in Jan., 
1789. 

Rose, from Wolcott, Feb. 5, 1826; named from 
Robert S. Rose of Geneva. 

Savannah, from Galen, Nov. 24, 1824; named 
from the savannahs in the south part of the 
town. 

Sodus, the original town, was formed Jan., 
1789; called by the Indians As.sorodus, "silvery 
water. "' 

Walworth, from Ontario, April 20, 1829; named 
from Chancellor Walworth. 

Williamson, from Sodus, Feb. 20, 1802; named 
from Charles Williamson, the American agent 
for the Pultney estates. 

Wolcott, from Junius, March 24, 1807; named 
from Gov. Oliver Wolcott of Connecticut. 

Three Fatal Fires — The loss of Frank Burch 
in the fire of Congress Hall stables Feb. 9, 1899, 
was one of thtee lives that have been lo.st by 
fire in this village. Burch's charred body was 
found the next morning. 

The Lyons Burial Vault Company was organ- 
ized for the purpose of promoting the patents of 
Mr. B. F. Lockwood for a new and modern method 
of pi'oviding a means of interment most efl'ective 
against decay and vandal hands. The success of 
the industry is demonstrated by the large sales 
of the vault, because of the perfect manner in 
which it has served its purpose. Made of cement 
it is a good substitute for the stone vault. This 
is one of the companies in Lyons which by pro- 
ducing new articles of general use are making 
Lyons widely known as a manufacturing village. 




LYONS Bl'Kl.\l, V.4UI.T. 



'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



107 



l^ecollections of John H. Cosart; Describing 

the Riggs' Farm House and Canal Street Forty 

Years Ago: — 

"The old Riggs farm house as I remember it 
forty years ago, was standing on the site of the 
opera house, about forty feet back from the 
street line; and it disappeared either at the time 
of the fire or when the opera house was built," 
said Mr. John H. Cosart. " It was a long, two- 
story frame structure, lengthwise with the street 
towards which the roof sloped, painted white, 
with a door in the centre, a sun-burst light over 
the door and a brass knob. When the new 
school house was built part of Riggs' orchard 
was standing in the school yard. 

"Alono^ William street at that time was a high 
brick wall. The wealthy families of the village 
lived along Phelps street and their grounds ex- 
tended over to William street. The wall secured 
privacy for the grounds. 

"James Rogers and my father, C. E. Cosart, 
then employed twenty-five or thirty hands making 
shoes where Facer's barber shop is now, and 
they occupied three fioors. They went to New 
York to buy leather, going by packet and taking 
three days to go and three to return. 

"McElwaine's wagon shop stood on the corner 
of William and Canal streets and with the paint 
shop extended a third of the distance towards 
Geneva street. Sam Scott's blacksmith shop 
was on the corner of Geneva street. Between 
the two were residences. Five boards laid 
lengthwise constituted part of the sidewalk and 
a row of sweet locusts lined that side of Canal 
street. Over E. B. Price's store on the opposite 
corner was Dr. Teachout's office. Then going 
west on the south side of Canal street were the 
following:— William East)n's saloon; Worm- 
wood, jeweler; Pratt, wholesale grocer; G. R. 
Rudd, bookstore, express and telegraph office; 
Hayes, clothing (now Kaisers 's saloon) ; Fran- 
cisco's shoe store. Under each end of the walk 
was a flight of stejjs leading to a bowling alley 
and saloon under Hayes' and Francisco's. Then 
came Nelson Hewlitt, bakery, and Thurston's 
store (now Rodenbach & Gucker's), in the wing 
of which was F. S. Kline, jeweler. Next to 
Kline was an alley leading to Columbus Croul's 
blacksmith shop and foundry on the basin of the 
canal. Across the lane was the dooryard to his 
brick residence, which bordered on Canal street. 
The residence stood back a ways. It is now a 
part of a business block in there. Next to the 
dooryard was Senator Clark's one-story law 
office. Then came Seligman's hotel (now the 
National). A vacant lot was on the present 
bank corner and there was a drive leading back 
to George Croul's sand pit between William 
street and the canal. Small frame buildings oc- 
cupied the east side of William street." 

Countess of Tankerville— This title went to 
one of the fair women of Lyons, Miss Leonora, 
the daughter of Dr. James G. Van Marter, by 
her marriage with Lord Bennett, the Earl's eld- 
est son. They met while he was engaged in 
evangelical work assisting Ira Sankey at Brook- 
lyn. 

Jacob Rodenbach — A well kncjwn citizen of 
Lyons in early days was Jacob Rodenbach who 
was foreman of Deacon Taft's foundry when 
eighteen years of age, in 1854. After returning 
from the war he engaged in dry goods trade. 



Rev. Lyman H, Sherwood, bom at Hoosic, 

Vt., resided in Wayne county from the time he 
was one year old, 1824. When he came to Lyons 
it was not yet the county seat. A graduate of 
Hobart college when 21 years old, he opened a 
musical academy here which he carried on until 
1872 when he went to Kansas. In 1877 he re- 
turned and resumed his old place making the 
academy second to none other of its kind in 
the state. The Boston Conservatory took up the 
method's of music original with Mr. Sherwood. 

Stephen Van Wickle, born on the farm of 
the family in 1824, was in 1846 apprenticed to 
Deacon Gilbert and it was he who made many 
improvements in fanning mills, by which he ac- 
cumulated a large fortune. He engaged for 
years in the manufacture of fanning mills, and 
was one of the founders of the Presbyterian 
church. 

William T. Tinsley came to Lyons in 1835 at 
the age of two years. He learned the printer's 
trade at Watkins and removed to Lyons in 1854, 
purchasing the Republican in 18.59 and publishing 
it until 1887. He was one of the early discov- 
erers of the process of copper etching and being 
a student in chemistry he fitted up his own lab- 
oratory, making half-tone cuts himself with very 
crude appliances. 

Samuel Cole Redgrave came to Lyons in 
1841, when five years old. He entei-ed W. R. 
Hulett's hardware store when 17 years old, then 
clerked for P. P. Bradish. In 1860 he became a 
partner in the business with Aaron Remsen. 
During the civil war he served with distinction 
in the heavy artillery service and for some years 
afterwards was engaged in trade in Lyons. 

Shulcr Fire— Another of Lyons' fatal fires 
was the burning of the Shuler mill, Aug. 6, 1896. 
The fire broke out at 3 o'clock in the morning 
and the village was aroused by Officers Schwartz 
and Martin. It was known that PhiHp Shuler 
was in the mill. The office door, which he kept 
locked owing to tramps, was forced open and 
his body was found just inside. Besides large 
quantities of wheat, corn and oats the mill con- 
tained 200 barrels of flour and twenty tons of 
feed. The machinery was new. The whole was 
destroyed. 

The Homicide in which Mrs. Soloman Easter- 
ly and her mother Mrs. Nathan Geer were the 
victims, at the hands of Solomon Easterly, oc- 
cured July 18, 1880, at the Easterly farm two 
miles south-west of the village. During a fam- 
ily quarrel Easterly shot at his mother-in-law 
with blank cartridges intending to frighten her. 
Then he obtained an axe and after striking her 
down attacked his wife and killed her also. 
Both women were horribly mangled. 

Camp Lyons No. 9233, Modern Woodmen of 
America, was instituted in Forester's Hall on 
the evening of February 11, 1901, by Deputy 
Head Consuls H. G. Bender of Geneva and A. 
B. Buckland of Rochester with 15 charter mem- 
bers. The officers were: Venerable Consul, 
Deidrich Ehrhardt; Worthy Advisor, Allison B. 
Coon; Excellent Banker, Henry B. Leach; Clerk, 
Luther S. Lake; Escort, George H. Gansz; 
Watchman, Fred W. D. Martin; Managers, 



NOV 8 1904 



108 



"GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



George Merkling, Albert H. Goetzman, George 
B. Shepperd. The camp held no meetings from 
February 24, 1902 to October 23, 1902. Deputy 
Head Consul Newton 0. Smith of Fairport then 
put the lodge on its feet. The officers are: Ven- 
erable Consul, Harvey J. Shepard; Worthy Ad- 
visor, Henry B. Leach; Excellent Banker, Phil- 
ip L. Martin; Clerk, Luther S. Lake. 

State Canal Commissioner from Wayne Co. — 
Myron Holly, appointed April 17. 1817. 



First Officers elected in Wayne County, May 
6, 1823, were: Sheriff, Thomas AiTnstrong of 
Wolcott; Clerk, Israel J. Richardson of Palmyra; 
Surrogate and "First" Judge John S. Tallmadge 
of Sodus; District Attorney, Wm. N. Adams; 
Russell Whipple of Williamson, W. P. Capron of 
Macedon, Andrew G. Low of Palmyra and San- 
ford Sisson of Wolcott, coroners. They took the 
oath of office May 13, 1823. 



INDEX '* GRIPS'' HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF LYONS. 



Adams, GenWH 85 
Ashlev, DrRW 84 
Alloway 70, 81 
Assemblymen, list 42 
Baptist ch 33-lst ch EvAsso'n .33 
Baltzel, CM, res 59 
Bank of Wayne 63 
Blakelv, LM 64 
Burnett, AE 72 
Betts, CH 96 
Bashford, J&JD 98 
Boyle EP-Buell E 71 
Bourne, WE 54 
Blackburn, J A 55 
Boeheim, FW 105 
Carmer, DrME 46 
County Clerks, list 57 — office 75 
Cemetery views 22 
Canal, passengers in 1822, 13-tirst 
packet 14-Appraisers 103-views 
23- Packets in 1823, .54 
Collins, TW 44 
Congressmen, list 95 
Constitutional delegates 97 
Cholera morbus 78 
Catharine St school 83 
Court House 28 
Converse, FS coal vd 70 
Clark, Wm 59 
Carver, GL & GW 93 
Centre Bg 87 
Cuvler LS 74 
Chamberlain, DS 82 
Countess Tankerville 107 
District Attys, list 57 
Drowning, 1827, 19 
Deutcher Verein 36 
Dunwell. JW 29 
Demmim, JM 63 
David, Dr WG 86 
Deuchler & Sons 67 
Dewey, SA 94 
Elks 32, sk 101 
Earliest Stages 62- Merchants 48 

— Real Estate Owners 95 
Early Mfrs 83-physicians 89- 

schools 61— taverns 87 
Empire Beet Sugar 92 
Evangelical LuthCh 24 -SS Ass'n 

25 -Old Ch 25 
Fires -Myers 101, 106 - Three 

Fatal 106-Shuler 107 
Fire Dept, Officers 13 Compa- 
nies 14-17 -sk 21 
Fulton, DrCyril 78 
Foster, Cullen 97 
Finigan, Mrs EM. res 69 
Facer, BG 105 

First Judges .58— Common Pleas 
19-Elections 74-Tavern28- 
Cloth Dressing 46- Store 70- 



Farm House 68— Attorneys 62 
F of A 55 
F & A M 43 
G A R 40 

Gov Clinton in Lyons 12 
Gilbert, Deacon 61 
German Evan, ch 34— Ladies' Aid 

36 -Alliance .35 
Gommenginger, RevBW 38 
Grace Epis ch 29, 20-Basket Ball 

Team 31 
Heyd, RevAlbert 24 
Hoag, JW, res 61 
Hecox, Samuel 81 
Hano, John 102 
Hotchkiss, HG 84 
Hammond, Burton 90 
Hull, RevWG 56 
House, Wm 103 
Hoffman, AL 104 
Hotchkiss Peppermint Works 85 
Homicide, Easterly 107 
Jail Commission 70 
Joppa Land Co 47 
Kneeland, RevWF 33 
Kraft, RevSB 34 
Kindergarten class 21 
Kent, J&JT 75 

Lyons, its name 18— Erection of 
Town 19-in 1830, 23-in 1822, 
10 -in 1821, 45- in 1852. 38— Its 
Early Needs 14— Business Men 
in 1822, 66— Water Works 79— 
Description 3 — 1st Settlei-s 6— 
Survey 8— Oldest Bg 69 

Leach's Distillery 72 

Lyons Nat Bank 83 

Lake, LSsk 92, Res 91 

Lewis, SS 65 

Landmarks. Exchange & Graham 
Hotels 60— Glover House 61. 
69-Shuler Mill 77— 

Lyons Burial Vault 106 

Land War 51 

Lyons Republican 105 

Maccabees 47 

Medical Societv 77 

M E ch .56 -Jr Choir 57 

Moran, D&DP 68 

Morrissev, M 71 

Marshall" S&H 79 

Marshall & Noble .50 

Myers, lateJC Res 51 

Mapes, George 62 

Mason, C&WR 91 

Mirick, Col Ira 97 

Mirick. WP 49 

Ostrander. Rev LA 20 

Octagonal School 77 

Odd Fellows & Rebekahs 37 

Police 12 

Postmaster & Staff 19— Postoffice 



104- Old Corner 27 

Pres ch 20— Primary Class 21 

Putney, HW&EB 78 

Putnam, DrJW 58. 

Parshall. DeWitt 80 

Penn's Descendants 49 

Reminiscences of Mrs Parshall 15 
-Geo Knowles 25- Mrs Wel- 
ler 30 -Joseph McCall 34 -J A 
Blackburn 99 — E J Andrews 100 
-Wm Aggett 106- John H Co- 
sart 107 

Richmond, VR 65 

Red Men 48 

Reals, Stephen res .53 

Redgrave, SC 107 

Rodenbach, Jacob 107 

Sisson, W&WH 94 WG 95 

State Engineei- 99 

Sportsmen's Club 19 

Supervisors, list 14 

Sheriffs list 5« 

State Senator's, list 99 

Smith, Jesse 90 

Street Views. 9, 10, 11. 26, .52 

Schmieder, RevHC 41 

St John's Ch 42— Council 41- 
YMS 43 

Sloan. GW res 71 

Silver Factorv 88— Emp 89 

Sheldon, DrsAndrewF & Ralph & 
Albert F 88 

St Michael's Cath ch 38- 1st Com- 
munion Class .39-Old Ch 39- 
CR&BA 40 

Sturges, (JF 100 

.Shuler Hosi)ital lOl 

Sherw(K)d. RevLH 107 

Strain, JF 102 

Strang, GC 85 

School, Old Union 54 

Towlerton. DrCH 73 

Tucker. MC 49 

Tinsley. WT 107 

Village Trustees 12— Presidents, 
list .32 — Incorporated 48 

Veeder. DrMA 76 

Van Etten, JW 66 

Van Martei-, M&I 86 

Van Marter, Wm 90 

Van Camj), Wm 103 

Van Wickle, late JG res 53-Ste- 
phen 107 

Wayne Co in 1825, 70- in 1826, 45 
—Erection 10 — Towns. Erec- 
tion 106 

Webbe, RevWN 30 

Wolfe. JW res 79 

Williams, RevWH 70 

Welch, EL 2 

Woodmen 45. 107 



